In This Together
by AshesTheTerrible
Summary: Maya clutched her stomach, bile rising in her throat, her heart thundering in her chest. Her fingers splayed over her own skin, the alien knowledge that there was some sort of strange, unexpected, form of life growing inside her washing over her like ice water. Things were about to become much more serious than she had ever bargained for. Handsome Jack/ Maya
1. Black Nights and Fancy Cars

So originally this was just a three chapter bit of smutty porn between Maya and Handsome Jack. I really fell in love with this pairing and well I really loved the chapters more than I should have. Soooooo I decided to turn it into a full length fiction. A fiction that is by far out of my normal writing style. I have been wanting to do a fan fiction where one of the characters gets knocked up for a very long time now, and well this one looked like prime real estate for the task. So yeah, this fic will be featuring a much tamer Handsome Jack than per usual. I have this head canon where Jack is so infatuated with Maya it actually softens him a little bit. He's his normal bat shit crazy self to everybody else, but the siren is like his exception. He's sweeter to her, more tender in nature when dealing with her and acts more lover toward her. Just for some background info on this, in this story Angel is already dead, though how that happened is in fact different from the game. In my fiction "Pet Play" I used a head canon where Jack was actually the one to kill Angel, not the vault hunters. I imagine this happened when he forced an eridium dosage on her that was much too high and she could not handle it, resulting in her death. I feel like having Angel's death on his hands is more interesting and makes for a more broken Jack. So anyway in this fic I am going to try my hand at smut, pregnancy and drama all in one! Phew! You guys ready? Strap on in, grab some popcorn, shits about to get weird.

Black Nights and Fancy Cars

The fast travel station knocked the wind out of her as she reconstructed and landed lightly on the ground.

She gave a cough and tried to catch here breath irritably. Fast travel was just what it's name implied...but it sure was hell on the body.

She flexed her left hand, trying to get feeling back in her fingertips and breathed out long and heavy.

She felt aged.

In just one single day her body felt as if she were suddenly about eighty years old. Her bones ached, she had burn streaks decorating her uniform, and she had a ringing in her ears that just wouldn't shake. One too many close grenade detonations she figured. She had blood caked in her hair, blood that of course was not her's, and dirt jammed up underneath her ragged fingernails.

She was a sorry excuse for a woman that was for damned sure.

Pandora did that to a girl though.

There was no routine makeup in the mornings, and the fussing over your hair. Half the time her makeup just ended up all down her face and she'd nearly chopped off all her hair just not wanting to deal with it in general.

Yeah she'd given up on 'girly' things a hell of a long time ago.

Long showers were out of the question, and perfume was hard to come by.

She'd just accepted smelling like a wet bullymong most the time, besides it wasn't that hard to get used to.

Everybody on the damned planet smelled that way.

It was like nobody had ever heard of a bath, or just didn't care to take one.

She let her shoulders fall and she cracked her neck to the side, resulting in a satisfying pop. She looked at her surroundings silently.

The fast travel was located just on the edge of the Highlands, tucked back in a little nook of hills.

With a great sigh she began hauling her tired body up over the grassy hill closest to her. Once on top of it, she could see out over the landscape for miles.

The glittering lights of Opportunity lit up the night sky like Christmas decorations in the dark.

The city was grand, and it seemed to grow every time she set eyes on it.

It wasn't like she came out here too often...but when she did she always tended to marvel in the wonder of the flourishing city.

How could something so grand even exist on this god forsaken planet. Pandora did not house anything 'nice' or 'grand'. Pandora just bred slime and hole in the wall towns with too many drunks and infestations of Skags.

She stood on the hill silently, shifting her weight to one hip, her short cropped blue locks tickling lazily at her ears.

Maybe Handsome Jack did have it right.

Maybe change was what this planet needed.

She shook her head irritably.

No, the guy was a maniac.

His city might have been luscious...but that didn't help the fact that he was a damned basket case.

The siren felt a lump form in her chest.

That thought only made the fact of her even being here a harder pill to swallow.

What was she doing here?

She'd told herself the last time that it would in fact BE the last time.

Yet...here she was again.

Was she stupid?

Yeah probably.

How long could she get away with this stupid little habit?

This stupid little secret?

She told herself she didn't want it, didn't need it. She told herself that every damned time. But once again she'd end up at the lonely little fast travel behind the hills with the pretty little view of the pretty city.

Everybody on this stupid planet had their secrets, and she was just no different.

No worse or better than anybody else's...at least that was what she told herself.

If the other vault hunters ever found out...oh god they would kill her. Shun her, shame her and turn their backs on her.

She swallowed hard and shook her head.

They wouldn't find out.

She'd been pulling this for months and managed to keep it under wraps. She was fine. This was fine.

She groaned out.

No it wasn't.

It wasn't 'fine'.

It was wrong, so very fucking wrong.

She kicked a clump of grass with her booted foot and scoffed.

She'd made it a whole two months without scratching this god damned itch she'd formed, this addiction she'd fallen to.

Two whole months.

All for nothing.

Suddenly her ears were kissed by the smooth sounds of a rumbling engine breaking across the quiet night.

She gulped and felt her cheeks darken in color, searing with heat formed from nerves and anticipation.

She could just turn around, really she could.

Turn around and pretend this never happened. This moment of pure, utter, weakness.

But god it would be so good to just...indulge after such a fucking long, wearing day.

Was that so wrong?

She stood at the hill frozen in place, the pulls of good and bad yanking her back and forth.

She cursed under her breath and started down the hill tiredly.

She was already fucking here, no use in turning back now.

She'd been knocked around by Varkids and bandits and loaders and god knew what else all day, she fucking deserved this.

Maya breathed out shakily.

She _needed_ this.

Living with a bunch of dirty, smelly, crude, men certainly took its toll on her after a while.

Living in a household where burping and farting and chewing with your mouth open was perfectly acceptable got old real quick.

Sometimes she just wanted some god damned time to pamper herself a little bit. Some time to focus on her.

Living with vault hunters was not easy.

Not one bit.

She barely got a moment to herself anymore.

She just needed a night away.

Just one night...and so she went to the only escape she knew.

For something she knew was so wrong, it just felt so damned right.

The drone of the engine was coming closer now, echoing off the hills and surrounding her hearing.

Maya stopped at the bottom of the hill, adjusting her gun on her hip.

She looked down at her dirty uniform.

Something inside her almost wished she'd had the chance to clean up just a little bit.

There was a slight pang of embarrassment in her gut.

Faint headlights came around the bend, bathing the landscape in brilliant pale light.

She crossed her arms and did her best to put her nonchalant, expressionless face on.

She didn't like looking too eager, or too nervous.

Made her look weak, and she'd be damned if she let that happen.

Not in this situation.

This was all about her making sure she still had control of the power, all about her looking like her usual badass self.

She buried the butterflies in her stomach and the stupid girlish flip flops her hear was preforming.

All about being cool and collected.

That was the key.

The sleek, black vehicle closed the gap between her and it, coming to a gentle stop right at her unmoving feet.

It's growling engine rumbled the ground around her.

She raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar vehicle.

The thing certainly didn't look Pandoran.

Import from another planet for sure.

Suddenly the passenger door hissed open and raised up into the air, inviting her inside dauntingly.

Maya stood there for a moment, a grim look on her face as she watched the door open, then her eyes darted inside.

She was met by two glinting mismatched eyes, and a million dollar smile that could melt your heart right down to a puddle of mush.

"Hey there pumpkin." The figure occupying the driver's seat cooed to her smoothly.

He leaned back in the seat a little, his right arm draped across the passenger seat's headrest.

His hands were big and masculine, old blueish-green ink wrapping around his right wrist, his eyes boring holes in Maya's very being.

Damn him, she thought avoiding eye contact with him.

She felt her breath catch in her throat and tried her best not to let the flush on her cheeks show.

Maya breathed silently through her nose and made a sort of "hurumph" noise.

"Jack." She muttered the greeting half heartedly.

She yanked her rocket launcher off her back and blatantly shoved it into the small backseat, taking little care for the vehicles expensive looking interior.

Jack made a small hissing noise and muttered a little '_watch the leather seats hun...' _through his gritted teeth.

Maya ignored it and plunked herself down in the empty seat.

She let loose of a long sigh as she molded into the plush seat.

She was pretty sure she hadn't felt anything more comfortable in all her damned life.

She closed her eyes for a moment, relishing in the softness of the seat, her body melting into the material.

Maya could feel that smug expression of his boring into her.

She snapped her eyes open and glared over at him.

Sure enough there was that stupid, pompous grin clinging to his lips and that playful rich nature in his eyes.

"You like the new ride kiddo?" He hummed smoothly, his eyes playing over her lightly.

Maya scowled and shrugged.

"It's alright I guess." She snarled.

Jack laughed heartily.

God damn that laugh of his.

It was deep and thick and just about the sweetest thing that had ever kissed the siren's ears.

It sent chills down Maya's spine and pleasant tingles between her thighs.

She mentally cursed herself.

_Calm the fuck down._..she barked to herself in her head.

Jack reached down and wrapped that big, talented hand of his around the shifter and pushed the vehicle into drive.

"It's custom made. Had it shipped from a little industrial planet couple moons over. Only one in the universe." Jack bragged leaning back in his seat as the beast rumbled to life and got up to speed.

It was ridiculously smooth even on the vicious terrain.

"Of course it is." Maya growled rolling her eyes.

Jack side glanced at her and made a fake little pouting face.

"Well somebodies in quite the mood. What's wrong kiddo? It's been so long and here you are giving me the cold shoulder?" Jack said looking at the Siren and frowning over dramatically.

Maya snorted.

"It's been a long day." She snapped irritably.

Jack made a low sound in his throat, obviously enjoying the Siren's snark.

He shot her a wicked, ominous grin and reached over to stroke a long finger down the side of her jawline.

"And it's gunna be a long night sweetheart." He whispered his fingers leaving Maya's skin burning and sensitive.

Maya caught the beginning of a moan in her throat and swallowed it down quickly.

Jack didn't say another word, he simply left the comment hanging in the air, heavy in the small cab of the sleek car.

The silence consumes every space, every breath every second.

Maya can hear her heart booming in her ears, her blood flowing hot and fierce.

Her eyes wandered over her counterpart.

Soaking in the simple _way _he sits behind the wheel. Relaxed, calm, smooth, head leaned back against the headrest, one hand on the wheel the other still rested on Maya's seat.

She felt her breath hitch and he shifted his position, his tight pants crinkling subtly where his thighs met, his zipper and button matching solid gold, real gold no doubt.

She took a moment to really soak in his attire.

It wasn't what he normally wore to these little meet ups.

This time he was adorned in a full dress suit. Ebony in coloration, the sleeves rolled up to the crooks of his elbows neatly. Gold buttons in the shape of the Hyperion "H" kept the front latched together in a tidy, ornate sort of way.

The fabric clung to his every definition, his wide shoulders, the swells of his abdominal muscles, his chest.

Maya swallowed and fidgeted with the hem of her own dirty combat pants.

God she looked like trash in comparison with his full out three piece suit.

"Why the fuck are you so dressed up?" Maya barked, breaking the silence harshly.

Jack gave a small little chuckle and turned the wheel fluidly as he took a corner around a hill.

"Had a big meeting today." He answered simply, giving no more details than were needed.

Maya nodded and turned her attention out the window.

She needed to distract herself for god's sake, she was already getting way too worked up just looking at the bastard.

The trip wasn't long.

It never was.

The lights of the city got closer and closer, until they were consumed by them.

The streets were smooth and well lit, street lights flicking by the vehicle one after the other.

There were glowing signs for bars, and restaurants. Illuminated windows from homes and apartment complexes. There were families walking the streets, happy, headed out to dinner, maybe a movie.

Couples on first dates, headed out for drinks or a walk in one of the many parts dotting the city's layout.

Maya breathed out slowly.

She guessed it would be rather nice living here. Not having to worry about bandit attacks, or someone ransacking your house in the middle of the night. She sure as hell knew they didn't have to worry about being shot for stupid reasons such as "You looked at me wrong." She had actually seen a murder go down exactly like that. Pathetic really. Too many idiots with guns on this planet.

But Jack's army of loaders and men certainly made sure nothing like that happened in Opportunity.

Nothing got passed their radar...well with the exception of herself.

She was a bandit, a vault hunter, a siren, and the last person on the planet that should setting foot in this town.

Her eyes darted over to the male to her left once more.

Any normal day she'd have been captured or shot dead for even so much as showing her face around here...but she...she was the exception.

You kinda got a little leeway when you were fucking the head honcho. Maya sighed and shook her head.

It sounded so awful when she actually thought about it.

She pushed the thought out of her head and tried to just focus on how the heated seats were causing her sore muscles to unravel.

It was things like this that made it worth it.

She watched as the vehicle pulled into the all too familiar parking garage, and parked in the all too familiar parking spot.

Jack pushed the car into park and pushed the stop button.

The engine quieted and Jack stuffed the space-like set of keys into his coat pocket.

Maya felt her heart in her throat.

She unlatched her seatbelt as Jack closed his door and casually walked around the vehicle to open Maya's.

Maya clambered out of the low slung car and glared at Jack as he held the door, grinning wryly at her.

"I can open my own fucking door." She snarled at him as she hauled her rocket launcher back onto her shoulders.

Jack rolled his eyes at the Siren.

"You're welcome princess." Jack hissed after her, his mismatched eyes swimming over her as she sashayed toward the elevator.

The door's slid open and dinged as they closed, trapping the two unusual counterparts alone in it's confines.

Jack glanced over at the siren, a small grin clinging to his lips like heavy drapes.

Maya narrowed het eyes at him.

"Quit staring at me." She snapped adjusting the rocket on her back.

Suddenly Jack grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look at him.

He closed the gap between them, prodding the siren back into the wall.

For a second, a twinge of fear sparked through Maya's veins.

Had she been too snarky?

Despite having done this many times before, she still always worried one day she'd cross the line and Jack would snap.

He was the great Handsome Jack. Murderer, self-centered psychopath, dictator. He wasn't exactly known for being the "sanest" man on the planet.

He ran his blunt thumb over Maya's chapped bottom lip delicately, eyes observing her, scrutinizing her.

"You do this on purpose don't you?" Jack breathed huskily.

Maya tensed at the tone of his voice.

It had changed, lowered, become deeper, huskier...more _needing. _

"Do what?" Maya choked attempting to sound confident and defiant.

Jack groaned lowly, his palm sliding down her thin neck, pressing into her windpipe ever so slightly.

"You are so stubborn, defiant, you don't obey anyone...no matter how hard I try I just can't break you of being so _feral." _Jack damn near moaned the last word as it rolled off his tongue.

Maya breathed out shakily as his big hand closed harder on her throat.

I was threatening and arousing in the very same breath and it left Maya's brain spinning with confusion.

She wanted to feel frightened, and she did, but at the same time she couldn't ignore the heat in her groin and the spark in her gut.

"You _know_ what that does to me." He snarled hotly, his lithe tongue coming to drag up Maya's exposed throat.

He came to her ear, his lips hot and wet, centimeters from the skin.

Maya's eyes fluttered closed and her mouth fell open just slightly.

She wanted his lips on her ear.

She wanted it so fucking badly.

The way he'd suck her lobe in-between whispering the nastiest of things into the shell of the anatomy. His voice kissing her senses and melting her better judgement.

She waited for it, counting the seconds as they ticked by.

She cracked one eye open, when the sensation of his lips never came.

She could _feel_ him grinning.

That taunting, vicious little playful smile.

The kind of smile a bad child might crack knowing he was misbehaving.

Involuntarily Maya let an impatient little noise slip past her lips.

Jack pulled away all together, gently brushing a lock of Maya's blue bangs out of her face as his fingers left her.

Maya looked at him almost disappointedly and let loose of the heavy breath she had been holding.

"Oh you are impatient tonight aren't you kiddo?" Jack chuckled burying his hands in his trouser pockets.

Maya growled angrily, her eyebrows knitting together disapprovingly.

Fuck him, she thought angrily.

She didn't like that he knew exactly how to push her buttons.

She crossed her arms and avoided eye contact with the stupidly perfect man.

The elevator dinged as it settled on it's floor and the doors yawned open.

Jack looked at the clearly anger siren and held out his arm.

"Ladies first." He cooed softly.

Maya snorted at him and stormed past irritably.


	2. The Artist

The Artist

She halted at the familiar door and tapped her foot impatiently as Jack unlocked it.

He let the door fall open and Maya pushed inside without looking at the Hyperion overlord.

Jack shut the door behind him and locked it.

Maya knew this was just one of his many grand living quarters, but this was the only one she'd ever seen.

A top floor condo decorated to the hilt with the finest of furniture and the most expensive decor on the market.

Maya took her rocket off her back and set it in the little cabinet by the door.

After he first few times of Maya tossing the hefty, dirty thing on the furniture this handy little cabinet had showed up.

Maya took the hint that Jack no longer wanted dirt and blood stains on his couches.

She unclipped her belt and began stripping off her other weapons.

She set her shield down in one of the small shelves and her class mod as well. Jack leaned casually on the side of the cabinet and watched her amused.

She ignored his gaze and propped her sniper rifle up in the small holsters provided.

She dumped her pack full of ammo, food, water and whatever else she might need into the cabinet and lastly she stripped off her favorite pistol.

It was Hyperion make, and normally she avoided Hyperion weapons all together...but this one was different.

This one was a gift.

Given to her by none other than Handsome Jack himself.

After several nights watching her unload a whole mess of Torgue explosives, Jackobs revolvers and Maliwan rifles he'd offered her a little gift.

She'd unwrapped it hesitantly.

That was back when they'd only had a couple of meetings, maybe one or two, and she still hadn't trusted the fucker to not blow her up or something.

It had been wrapped in gold dipped wrapping paper and placed on a tiny velvet pillow.

It was a pretty thing, decorated in small white floral markings. Gold and silver throughout the barrel, the handle was bone, carved with a mural of several beasts from Pandora's landscapes. It was down right beautiful...and it shot well.

So Maya had kept it.

She set it tenderly on it's own separate shelf.

She took better care of that gun, than she often did herself.

Something so pretty deserved to be up-kept well...no-matter where it came from.

Jack seemed pleased that she was still carrying it.

"I see you're still using that gun I gave you. Still holding up for you?" Jack asked raising a thin eyebrow at her.

Maya shrugged and nodded.

"Yeah. Good gun. Can't beat the accuracy. Shot a bullet through a Varkid and hit a bandit right in the skull today." Maya said cracking her knuckles.

Jack shuddered at the visual.

"Good god what I wouldn't have given to see that." Jack praised.

Maya shrugged again.

Jack put his palms on either side of Maya's shoulders, trapping her against the flat side of the cabinet.

He smiled down at her.

He was so much taller than her, framing her intimidatingly.

"I'm so upset I missed watching you go about your missions today. That meeting held me up for much longer than I'd have liked." Jack whispered leaning closer to the Siren.

"From the looks of it you had quite the battle on your hands." He continued in that silky tone of his, his eyes sweeping up her battle worn uniform and then back down.

"God I bet you had those bandits begging for their lives..." Jack breathed raggedly.

Maya huffed out.

"Don't you have better things to do all day than to spy on me?" Maya snapped stubbornly.

Jack chuckled, low and deep and played with a strand of Maya's hair.

"I do. But you are certainly more interesting. Besides can't really do much else other than watch you. You haven't been answering my echos. What it's been like two months hasn't it?" Jack breathed to her.

Maya groaned.

"Yeah I was trying this new thing called stopping this stupid addiction to sleeping with the enemy." Maya snarled.

Jack pouted at her.

"Ah. So that's why my little siren has been missing in action. Gotta itch to try and be a good girl again?" Jack chuckled.

Maya scowled at him.

"I'm not falling for it pumpkin. I watched you ride that vibrator in the shower last week, moaning my name like a fucking prayer. You aren't so good at the whole kicking the habit thing huh?" Jack whispered in her ear meanly.

Maya made a small gasp and punched him in the chest, hard enough for him to make a small grunt of pain in reaction.

"God dammit haven't you ever heard of giving people privacy?" Maya barked angrily.

"Oh c'mon what's a guy supposed to do? Porn just isn't cutting it anymore sweetheart." Jack retorted cocking his head at her.

Maya scoffed and folded her arms.

"Pervert." She threw the insult out pointedly.

Jack only laughed and closed the gap between them again, gently nosing against her jaw.

"Oh god you have no idea how badly I've wanted this lately..." Jack groaned lowly his hand slowly tracing down Maya's side, then sliding around to her rump where he grabbed a healthy handful.

Maya jerked at the sudden advancement and slapped Jack's cheek.

Jack moaned out involuntarily and shoved the Siren harder into the cabinet.

"Doing it rough tonight huh kiddo?" Jack breathed cramming his lips against Maya's harshly.

His finger tips clawed at her hipbone, fingering the clothing there as if desperately wanting access to the skin beneath.

Maya let a little gasp escape her lips as she relished the feeling of his fingers against her.

Jack pressed his lips to her ear and breathed in deep, his eyes fluttering closed.

"I bet I can guess the color of your panties pumpkin.." He husked against her ear, his voice so low, so needy.

Maya groaned a little.

"Give it your best shot asshole." Maya snarled back.

Jack groaned against her softly.

"Mmm...black...gotta be black with the nasty mood you are in." Jack whispered gently licking the shell of her ear.

Maya bit her lip and sucked in a sharp breath of air as Jack's fingernails bit at her hip harshly.

"Nope, one more try." She whispered tilting her head to allow Jack access to her neck.

He kissed down it fondly, sucking the skin meanly.

"Red." He near moaned against her.

Maya cracked a playful little smile.

"Wrong again. You're usually better at this." She taunted bucking against his eager hips.

Jack gasped out and tightened his grip on her.

"Fine. I give up. What color?" He whispered heavily.

Maya grinned wider.

"Trick question." She whispered leaning in closer to Jack's ear.

"I'm not wearing any." She breathed letting the words tumble off her tongue.

Jack let loose a full on, guttural moan and pressed Maya's wrists into the cabinet.

"Oh fuck I gotta have you right now Maya..." He growled gathering her lips roughly.

Maya broke the kiss and took a deep breath.

She shoved Jack hard and he stumbled backward confusion washing across his face.

Maya put her hands on her hips.

"Have you forgotten how this works? I want my long shower first. Then sex." Maya said in a matter-o-fact kind of way.

Jack groaned outwardly and sunk down in the luxurious chair nearest to him.

"Oh c'mon pumpkin I'm dying here..." Jack complained throwing her a pitiful look.

Maya wagged a finger at him and shook her head.

"Nope. We had a deal. I want my hot water and fancy soaps, you can wait a little longer." Maya said heading for the bathroom.

Jack made a distressed noise and let his head fall against the back of the chair.

"Can I at least watch?" Jack called after the siren.

"No." Maya barked before shutting the door and locking it.

She sighed against the closed door and soaked in the grand bathroom.

There were two couches with gorgeous floral prints decorating the sitting area just before the room opened up into the circular bathroom.

There were three sets of lingerie laid out on each one. Six in total.

Ranging in color and style.

Some were see through teddies, some looked like something out of a BDSM porn flick.

Maya smiled at the selection.

She liked that Jack took the time to hand pick them for her.

The sets were never the same each time, they were always new. There were no repeats in the undergarments. They were always expensive and always grand.

She walked passed them smiling, she would make her selection after her shower.

She walked into the circular room and began stripping off her sweat drenched uniform.

There were two sinks on either side of the room, and a separate closed door with the toilet and such.

There was a grand tub and room sized shower on the farthest end of the space.

Maya threw her clothing in a sad little heap on the floor and headed straight for the shower.

Sometimes she would take a long bath instead, but this round definitely called for a shower.

She opened the clear glass door and turned the crystal nobs.

The shower sprung to life, the water warming in seconds.

Maya could feel the steam on her face, billowing off the red-brown tile covering the walls and flooring.

Maya stepped inside, letting the warm stream run over her worn body with a long, loud sigh.

She ran her fingers through her dirty hair, closing her eyes and tilting her head back wearily.

The showers in Sanctuary were luke warm or freezing cold, that was it. They just couldn't compare to the steaming, clean, fresh water of Opportunity.

Maya groaned out and pressed on her eyelids.

God it was so fucking good.

Stupid good.

Everything here was stupid good.

They always say the sweetest of fruit...is the one that is forbidden.

Maya let the water run down over her lips, their surface still tingling with the feeling of Jack's rough kisses.

She touched her lips softly, relishing in the feeling.

She shouldn't want it so badly.

Shouldn't want _him_ so badly.

It was always like this. So much more exciting because it wasn't right. Vault hunters did not sleep with Handsome Jack.

Especially not one that had sworn to kill him no matter what.

But god it was so good.

The luxuries...just every once and a while.

To enjoy them, to be pampered and swooned over.

Jack was good at that kind of thing.

He had all the money in the world to do it.

He could have chosen anybody to spend it on, and yet he had chosen her.

The enemy that he also has sworn to kill.

He was good at things like showering her in gifts, and pampering her, and...and...he was a good lay. Like a really, really good lay.

Maya's knees damn near went weak at the thought.

Pandora wasn't really a great variety of potential sexual partners, but she never expected she'd end up choosing someone so...so...well evil.

Evil in the best kind of way though, that was for sure.

Sure the commando had made a couple of passes at her, but according to Moxxi the kid was...a little quick on the trigger.

That certainly was not for Maya.

That left her options around Sanctuary slim to none.

She wasn't really sure if Zero was human...much less male or whatever.

Krieg seemed fond of her...maybe a little too fond. Sometimes it was flat out creepy and she wasn't sure if the guy was fawning over her...or deciding how to cook her.

Either way she wasn't really interested.

He was a little too...primal...for her.

Salvador was just out of the question, it was _confirmed _that he actually ate people.

Roland and Lilith had...whatever they had going on so that was a big no.

Mordecai didn't seem the least bit interested, and she was worried Brick just might break her.

So when Jack had taken a liking to her, bugging her an unusually large amount over the echo-net and such...and then sprung this well...proposition on her, it hadn't seemed all too bad.

That was her first mistake.

Meeting him for the first time.

Coming here to this grand condo, letting him push her into the mattress and kiss up her neck whispering sweet nothings to her like his very life depended on it.

Letting him do things to her she'd never even had the imagination to come up with.

Letting him take her, letting him _own _her.

Maya moaned out softly without really meaning to.

She shook her head angrily.

Dammit she needed to pull herself together.

Jack was a god damned drug, and that first hit had been the end of it.

She was hopelessly hooked.

Maya shook the thoughts from her head and glanced over to the large wall of shelving at the other side of the shower.

Reliably stocked with the latest and greatest shower products made for the female kind.

Maya grinned from ear to ear.

They didn't have anything like this in Sanctuary. They were lucky to have soap most days.

But here, it was like a shampoo, conditioner, soap, body butter, shower gel and loofa buffet.

She went down the line reading all the labels, all the different scents.

Lavender Vanilla seemed to be calling to her.

She grabbed the loofa, sporting the Hyperion logo and Hyperion yellow of course and rolled her eyes.

Typical.

She lathered herself up, thick and dripping, the suds running down her lean body.

She washed herself, and lathered up again.

She figured more than one round was going to be needed to scrub all the blood and guts off her.

She ruffled her hair with shampoo, feeling her fingers slide through the now clean locks.

What a feeling it was...to actually be able to get truly clean.

She spent what felt like an eternity in the waters embrace, never wanting to leave her lover that she had so very much missed.

Finally she washed herself one more time and turned off the knobs.

She wrapped herself in a fluffy yellow towel and dried her hair, a small smile clinging to her pleased lips.

She felt like a whole new woman.

She shook her hair a bit and pranced out to the sitting room, now surrounded by her choices in lingerie for the evening.

A little grin crawled up her face.

Whichever pair was the blackest, laciest, baddest set...that was the one she wanted.

She snatched the pair off the couch and hauled the thong and garters up her hips.

She wasn't sure why Jack always picked pairs with garters and stockings. He never failed to rip them...maybe he had a fetish for that or something.

That was one thing Maya had quickly learned, the guy had about a million and one different fetishes.

Over sexed son of a bitch.

She crammed her healthy breasts into the bra and admired herself in one of the many full length mirrors.

She was pretty sure she'd never felt so drop dead gorgeous.

Jack had outdone himself with this getup.

Maya sighed out and grabbed the door handle.

She took a deep breath and pushed it open gracefully.

She stood leaning against the door frame, allowing the steam from the shower to billow out around her.

Jack was sprawled out on the king sized bed, his expensive dress shoes placed neatly by the door, still adorned in his dress suit, minus the overcoat.

His dress shirt was buttoned up to the second hole, just barely allowing his chest to show.

He was propped up on the ridiculously large pillows, and he just leaked a sense of godlike power that Maya was always taken aback by.

Jack's gaze swam lazily over to Maya's form filling the doorway.

He sat up casually, a wide, venomous grin cracking across his handsome face.

He beckoned to her smoothly and Maya came, swaying her hips like a ship at sea.

She crawled over the bed with catlike grace, her palms sliding over the silken comforters until she was sitting spread over Jack's groin.

He made a low growling sound in his throat as his eyes swept over her.

"So you picked the Claire Midnight set? Fantastic choice." Jack swooned as his fingers glided up Maya's thighs, toying with the black lace on the garters.

"She's the newest up and coming designer. People are on a waiting list three years long just to get a set from her...she hand delivered these to me. Promised me my lady would _love _them. So, do you just absolutely love them pumpkin?" Jack whispered viciously

Maya shrugged her shoulders casually.

"They're alright I suppose." She whispered deviously.

Jack chuckled lowly.

"The most expensive items in the world, and still nothing is enough to wow the siren." He laughed venomously.

"You should know that by now." Maya whispered narrowing her eyes and gently running her thumb over the bottom hinge of Jack's mask.

The metal was cold and smooth beneath her finger pad. The mask was an interesting attribute to his features, it moved with his every expression, like a perfect second skin.

She often wondered just what might be beneath it, but never had the guts to ask.

She just felt that was a sensitive subject that should never be touched. That was something he had tucked away in a dark corner of his past and would not share it.

It was best left alone, and she realized that.

He closed his eyes wontonly as she ran her fingers up his temples and worked them through his thick brown locks.

Delicately styled into that perfect swooped position. It wouldn't be by the end of the night. Of there was thing she could not get enough of it was Jack's after sex disheveled hair. God damned it was hot.

He sighed out slowly, the breath passing his lips gently.

Maya dipped her head in and pressed her soft lips against his.

Jack's arms snaked around her instantly, pulling her into the kiss, begging for her body against him.

Needing to touch her, needing to _feel _her.

She gently bit his lip, her perfect teeth closing around the soft anatomy.

Jack groaned out against the advancement.

Jack watched her through lazy, narrowed eyes as she pulled away from the kiss tenderly.

He ran a hand through her wet hair and grinned wryly.

"So pumpkin, whatcha feeling tonight? You want it rough? Or you want me to go easy on ya?" Jack whispered grinning widely.

"Rough" Maya breathed in Jack's ear hotly.

Jack grabbed her suddenly, toppling her with ease and pressing her into the mattress firmly.

"Music to my ears sweet cheeks." Jack growled lowly.

He prodded Maya's knees apart, making room for himself as he loomed over her.

Maya felt her breath hitch as his left hand snaked up her already heaving form.

Up her torso, over the swells of her healthy breasts, only to pause at the slope of her neck, pressing with delicate, intimidating pressure.

Not enough to be uncomfortable, but just enough to make Maya's heart thump against her ribcage like a trapped animal.

Jack's fingers pressed against her pulse, feeling it rising under his touch.

It's menacing and yet it's arousing as all hell.

It was almost like the threat of it just made it better, the fact that with just a little more pressure he could easily crush her windpipe. He could squeeze the very life from her with his bare hands. His fingers threatened it as they grazed across her flesh, and yet she knew they wouldn't.

Maya made a needing, helpless noise in her throat and arched ever so slightly against Jack's weight pressing her down.

Jack slid his tongue up her collarbone, unsheathing his teeth to bite her just a little harder than what could be considered gentle.

Maya winced and entwined the sheets in her fingers.

His grip on her throat tightened slowly.

Maya gritted her teeth and let loose of a low breath through them.

Jack's lips were suddenly pressed to her ear, his breath hot and heavy and _wanting. _

"You like that don't you siren? The fact that I could choke you so fucking easily?" Jack whispered to her menacingly.

Maya swallowed, the task made hard with Jack's thick fingers around her windpipe.

She closed her eyes and nodded.

If there was one thing she'd learned about how things went with Jack, it was that when he asked a question of her, she answered. That was that.

His voice swam through her like electricity, shocking her nerves and searing her bones.

It was so low, and heavy, weighing on her like a thick blanket on a cold night.

His body was hot through his over priced clothing, she could feel him against her, even with her eyes closed, just _knowing _he was there drove her mad with want.

"Use your _words _kiddo." Jack taunted biting off each syllable painfully slowly.

"Y-Yes." Maya whispered shakily as Jack nibbled her lobe gently.

Jack grinned down at her, all his pearly teeth on full display for her viewing pleasure.

God that smile of his was so stupidly perfect.

People on Pandora did not have smiles like that.

People on Pandora had missing, rotting teeth and broken smiles.

But not Handsome Jack.

His smile was every bit as expensive as the rest of him.

His Hyperion yellow, silk tie dangled from his neck and slid across Maya's chest. The material was soft, and smooth, and probably cost more than a brand new car.

"Yes what?" Jack snarled viciously.

Maya breathed out raggedly.

"Yes sir, Handsome Jack." Maya whispered her voice wavering.

Jack shuddered at the sound of his name on Maya's lips and groaned out deeply.

His hand around her throat slid up to her chin and he gently slid his thumb over her bottom lip.

"Say my name again." Jack growled to her his blue and green eyes glittering with bad intentions.

Maya arched her back ever so slightly.

"Handsome _Jack._" Maya whispered heavily, the words rolling off her tongue like a curse.

His name somewhat was.

People of Pandora spoke Jack's name with hate, with distaste, with respect.

People respected power.

They could hate it, and want to defy it, but they still respected it.

Jack was the most powerful man on the fucking planet, earning all the hate and respect one person could possibly manage.

Jack moaned out deeply, his voice gruff and husky.

"God that's good." Jack snarled.

He hovered his lips just above Maya's.

His smile caused chills to flutter down her spine as it cracked across his thin lips.

He chuckled lightly, twirling a strand of Maya's hair between his fingers.

Maya could feel his warm breath on her lips, feel his gaze soaking her in, the wheels in his head turning behind those vibrant eyes.

He chuckled lowly.

The sound caused the hairs on the back of Maya's neck to stand on end.

"Oh siren...I am going to do _nasty_ things to you." Jack purred softly, that smile of his haunting and promising wickedness.

Maya let a small moan slip past her lips as Jack's words washed over her hotly.

Suddenly Jack's hands were sliding underneath Maya's form, wrapping around her rough and tight, hauling her off the bed and into his grasp.

Maya gasped as he left he bed with her, and slammed her into the nearest wall.

One of the ornate paintings hanging there rattled with the impact and threatened to come crashing down.

Her shoulders hit hard, biting into the surface harshly as Jack forced his weight into her.

He was a lot stronger than Maya had always imagined.

Back before she'd ever seen him in person, she figured he was some scrawny wanna be dictator throwing his weight around without anything to back it with.

Their first meeting he had proved her so wrong.

He kept himself in pristine physical condition, strong and lean and _hard. _

Maya bit her lip to stifle a moan as Jack kissed up her neck his big hands coming to grip around her thighs.

Maya's fingers came around to his back, his dress shirt pulled tight across his shoulder blades.

Maya tilted her head back against the wall, her eyes fluttering closed, her nails dragging across the smooth material.

Jack nipped at her jawline, his tongue hot and wet on her skin.

She sucked in a sharp breath through her gritted teeth as Jack pushed his groin into Maya.

She could feel him.

_All_ of him.

Maya gasped harshly and Jack chuckled into her throat.

His eyes flicked up to meet hers.

His eyes were fierce, and frightening.

There was nothing in the world more intimidating than those eyes of his.

Fearsome, diabolical.

One look from those mystic eyes had you struggling between wanting to beg for your life, and wanting to strip off your clothes.

Jack shook his head slowly and clicked his tongue at Maya in a scolding sort of fashion.

"Maya, Maya, Maya..." He whispered through his teeth, those eyes dripping over Maya's form slowly.

Maya could hear her heart throbbing in her ears, her blood rushing through her hot and thick.

"You misbehaving little creature...avoiding me for months...leaving me wanting...leaving me _needing_...oh Maya that just won't...do." Jack hissed his voice dipping to a low, dangerous place.

His fingers traced up her stockings, drawing small, slow circles.

Maya swallowed, her heart in her throat her pulse thumping wildly.

His voice invaded her, overcame her, made her body melt with every syllable.

"I think this calls for a punishment...what do you think pumpkin?" Jack whispered his voice dripping with poison.

His eye lids fell over his glistening eyes, just slightly, just enough to spark fear into even the bravest of souls.

"Y-Yes Handsome Jack." Maya breathed slowly.

Jack smiled wickedly at her response. She sounded so weak, so winded.

"Good girl." Jack praised carrying her across the room.

He paused at a piece of furniture that Maya had not noticed before.

It was all black leather, and resembled some what of a chair, but in the same breath...it wasn't. It looked like a black wave with one raised end, a dipped middle and an even higher raised back.

It was definitely a new addition to the room.

Knowing Jack she was near certain it was some sort of erotic furniture specially made for sex.

Jack set her down on the strange looking piece and Maya looked at him with questioning eyes.

"On your knees." Jack barked his voice low and threatening.

Maya obeyed, leaning her elbows on the tallest swell of the chair, her knees settled on the low dip of it.

She could feel Jack approach her from behind.

She couldn't see him...but she could feel him closing in.

The sensation was almost too much to bear.

That balance of threat and pleasure that Jack constantly held was damn near an art.

Like an artist at his easel, Jack was making a masterpiece.

He gently prodded Maya's knees apart on the soft leather, leaving her rump in the air and the meet of her thighs open for access.

He growled deep in his throat and ghosted a hand over her left cheek.

Suddenly he brought his hand down, swatting across her rump with just enough force to leave a hollow sting behind.

Maya cried out with the sudden contact and her body moved against the leather fluidly.

God it was good.

Again...she thought desperately.

As if reading her thoughts Jack's hand was flying across her ass cheek once more, this time _harder_.

The crack of his palm against her skin echoed through the room and Maya made a breathless sound and slumped slightly, putting all her weight on her elbows resting on the chair.

Her fingers gripped into the leather harshly as she received another swat from Jack's punishing hand.

She gritted her teeth together hard, eyes screwed shut, her rear end tingling with the sensation left behind by Jack's spankings.

"Stay." Jack husked darkly into Maya's ear, and then he was gone.

Maya gathered her courage and discreetly peered back over her shoulder to get a peek at the president's whereabouts.

Jack was opening a large cabinet, seemingly pondering as he searched through the first drawer.

Then he was taking things out.

Maya breathed out shakily.

Anticipation was the name of the game, and the wait, the wondering, had Maya squirming.

Jack returned with an armful of objects, all things Maya couldn't quite make out.

He laid them all out daintily on the nearest coffee table and made a pleased little grunt in his throat.

He picked up a couple of items, and was nearing Maya again.

He teased the objects in his hands, a wicked, daunting smile creeping across his lips like a disease.

Suddenly Jack was in front of her, a leather and rubber bit looking gag pulled taut in his fists.

He smiled down at Maya's pathetic state.

He came close with the bit, then seemed to pause.

"You remember the safe word right?" He asked sweetly.

Maya nodded stupidly.

Jack liked his sex the way he liked his planets. Rough.

He'd made that very clear the first time they had ever done this. He'd insisted they have a 'safe word'. Frankly Maya had thought the whole concept was pretty stupid. She could handle anything on Pandora, and anything Jack had to offer in the bedroom. She hated being wrong. Fuck she did. It wasn't the way Jack inflicted pain with sex, it was the way he left her body feeling exhausted and pushed it to it's very limit. The first time she'd used the word she was on the verge of passing out, the corners of her vision fuzzy and blurred. As soon as the syllables had passed her lips Jack was hauling her out of her restraints, wrapping her in blankets and stroking her hair soothingly. She'd never figured Jack to be a man who gave a shit about after care to rougher sex...but he was. Or maybe he just was for her. His odd fondness of her never ceased to amaze her.

"Good girl. Now let's get started." He whispered gently prying Maya's mouth open and forcing the rubber bit between her lips.

Two large metal rings connected to the sides of the contraption, and Jack latched it around the back of her skull.

She felt like some show pony, all reined up and ready for performance.

Next came a pair of leather hand cuffs, threateningly strapped around her wrists, just tight enough to render motion of her arms useless.

Then the spreader bar. Leather cuffs attached to a metal bar, forcing her knees apart precariously.

Maya breathed out through her mouth, her tongue pushing against the rubber of the gag.

Jack looked over his handy work, his fingers slipping down the dip of her spine, causing Maya to shiver.

Jack's palm rubbed over the worried flesh of Maya's ass cheeks, and then he was falling to his knees just behind Maya's body.

His lips came to her bare rump and placed several warm, gentle kisses there.

Maya's eyelids threatened to close as she felt his lips make contact with the smarting skin.

Jack made a deep sound through his teeth as his fingers grabbed at the material of the stockings.

He dragged his tongue over the doughy flesh, sucking every now and again.

He was teasing.

He knew where Maya wanted his talented tongue.

He knew.

But he wouldn't give it to her.

Not yet.

He'd drag it out until she was all but reduced to fucking begging and pleading.

Maya hated it in the same breath that she loved it.

Maya made a low whine and shifted her hips a little.

Jack chuckled against her rump, biting gently causing Maya to moan around the bit.

"You want it don't you?" Jack taunted meanly.

Maya nodded, unable to form words around the gag.

"How badly sweetheart?" Jack cooed toying with the thin line of material stringing down between Maya's cheeks.

Maya made a muffled sound and bucked back a bit.

"That bad huh?" Jack whispered his fingers dragging down the backs of her thighs.

Maya made another muffled groan.

"Well...maybe you shouldn't have tried to be such a good girl." Jack scolded.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, trying to be a good little vault hunter? Oh Maya that's not for you. You can try all you like to be a good little siren...but I _know_ you aren't. You will always be my _bad_ girl." Jack hissed snapping Maya's thong against her skin.

Maya flinched and clamped her teeth around the bit harshly.

"Aren't you Maya?" Jack questioned tauntingly.

Maya nodded furiously, trying her hardest to back her hips up.

Jack put a steady hand on her rear and stalled her movements.

He wagged a finger at her scoldingly, and Maya could just barely see the movement out of the corner of her eye.

"Now, now Siren...you are so damned impatient aren't you? Just can't wait another second for it? You want it don't you? You _need_ it don't you?" Jack groaned kissing Maya's rump once more, his lips soft and inviting.

Maya nodded profusely and cried out a muffled "Yes!" through the bit.

Jack chuckled, deep and dark.

He slid a long, slow finger down the material of Maya's thong, tracing it over her warm mound.

Maya jolted forward at the delicate, teasing touch.

Jack smiled wickedly as his fingers played over the damp material.

He slowly buried his nose between her thighs, inhaling her scent slowly, his eyes falling closed gently.

She smelled like lavender vanilla, and _need. _

There wasn't a scent on Pandora that he preferred more.

He let loose of a ragged, uneven breath and gently extended his tongue, running it over the soaked material of Maya's lingerie.

Maya sucked in a panting breath.

She could feel the warm, wet sensation of his tongue through the cloth, but it was dulled. Teasingly dulled. Just a tease, not enough to fulfill what she truly wanted. She wanted to feel his tongue on her bare, exposed skin.

Jack spread Maya's cheeks apart with his thumbs, the digits pressing into the soft flesh as he gently took the material in his teeth.

Maya's eyes closed heavily.

Fuck he really knew what he was doing.

Maya wanted to hate him. Just like the rest of Pandora did. She wanted to despise him to the very core, wanted to loathe him with every fiber of her being.

She wanted to.

Really she did...but it was so hard to hate a man when he wanted nothing more than to fawn over her.

Damn him, she thought irritably.

Jack ran his tongue over the ebony cloth wontonly.

"Already so _wet_ for me siren." Jack huffed out grinning wickedly.

Maya quivered at the feeling of his words against her.

Maya fidgeted impatiently.

Fuck he sure did like taking his sweet ass time.

"Ask nicely pumpkin." Jack breathed lowly, kissing over her clothed slit.

Maya managed a breathy, muffled, broken "please!" and Jack relished in the sound.

In one quick, rough motion Jack's fists clenched around the thin material and ripped it right off Maya's hips with a quick snap.

Maya shuddered as she watched how easily he could tear the material. How easily he could break such a tender, helpless thing.

The power, the primal action of it made Maya weak at the knees.

Jack balled the torn material in his palm and ran it over his chin wontonly.

He seemed to breath in its scent dazedly, soaking it all in.

"Oops." He husked throwing the broken undergarment to the side.

Maya shuddered as she watched it fall, and finally felt the warmth of Jack's breath on her exposed want.

Jack extended his tongue and slowly, painfully slowly ran it along Maya's soaking mound.

Maya jolted forward and dipped her back, letting loose and exasperated, low moan.

Jack's tongue danced circles around her wet need, capturing her clit where he closed his lips and sucked diligently.

Maya's knees wanted to buckle, they wanted to give out, but the spreader bar kept her propped open and spread for Jack's pleasure.

His tongue slid inside her slightly, tasting her, wanting her, coating her in his saliva.

His eyes fell closed as he pleased her, his tongue loose, talented and quick.

Maya's eyes rolled back, her teeth gritting down on the rubber intrusion mercilessly.

Her elbows quivered and her body was wracked with pleasurable tingling sensations. The fire set in her groin was burning out of control as Jack picked up the pace.

Fingers were added along with his tongue, running circles, pressing, taunting, teasing.

Maya could feel her tattoos glowing.

She couldn't stop it.

Couldn't control it.

The closer she got to finish, the brighter the damned things would glisten.

She hated it that her pleasure was so easily seen.

That Jack knew what he was doing to her without even having to ask.

He knew that in a matter of minutes he'd reduced her to putty in his palms.

In this moment Maya didn't care.

She didn't care that she was already almost there.

She wanted this.

Fuck she wanted it so damned badly.

His pace was quicker, faster, knowing she was close, pushing her to her very breaking point.

Maya could feel saliva dripping from her chin as she drooled over the bit.

God just a little more, she thought desperately.

Her tattoos echoed the pleasure coursing through her veins, glistening, throbbing with vibrant color.

Maya's eyes snapped open and her fingernails dug into the leather harshly.

Everything seemed to unravel around her. It came undone like a badly wrapped Christmas present, the ribbon untied and limp, the paper torn to shreds.

She yelled out as loud as she could with the gag in her mouth, her cries carrying Jack's name on them thickly.

Her thighs quivered as she came.

Orgasm hit her hard and heavy, breaking her down to pitiful cries and pleadings.

Like all the pressure of so many months had in a mere couple of minutes been undone by Jack's talented mouth.

Maya sagged against the leather chair, head hanging, breathing sporadic and labored.

Jack slowly retracted from Maya's thighs a small string of saliva dripping off his bottom lip.

He wiped his mouth with the heel of his hand and smiled deviously.

Maya breathed heavily through her nose her vision blurred and tired her body warm and heavy.

Jack stood and rounded Maya's form, his footsteps slow and calculated.

Maya watched him through tired, half lidded eyes.

He stalked around her the way a predator might approach weakened prey.

Jack's fingers brushed over Maya's cheek gently, soothingly.

He unlatched the bit gag carefully and let the device slide from Maya's lips.

Maya sighed out long and heavy, trying to work feeling back into her jaw.

It felt stiff and abused, but the ache was so good, too good.

Jack smiled down at her, his eyes playful and mean.

He slowly wiped a bit of saliva off Maya's chin and gave her a devious look.

Jack gently grabbed her chin, his blunt fingers curling around her delicate form.

"I've missed this sweet cheeks." Jack cooed to her sweetly.


	3. Stay

Stay

Maya didn't answer, her words escaped her miserably.

Jack chuckled and patted her cheek gingerly.

Jack left her there shaking and worn, and settled himself in the large ornate chair just in front of where Maya kneeled.

Maya watched him with curious, tired eyes.

He sat with his legs spread apart, his head held high as he slowly began undoing his tie.

He let it slide off from around his neck and he dropped it on the floor with a soft thunk.

Maya watched as the clothing hit the floor.

Jack threw her one of his famous, 'I am way too fucking expensive to be messed with' smiles.

"What about you Maya? Have you missed this?" Jack whispered grinning wildly.

Maya breathed out shakily, trying to will her voice to come to her.

"Y-Yes Handsome Jack." Maya stuttered weakly.

Jack laughed, low and frightening.

"Oh how I have missed my name on those pretty little lips of yours." Jack groaned lowly, his eyes darting from Maya, down to the buttons on his dress shirt.

His long, talented fingers came to the first button and gently began undoing it.

"What exactly have you missed about this? Hmm Maya?" Jack questioned, his digits working down the buttons painfully slowly.

Maya took a shaky breath in through her nose.

"Feeling like this..." Maya whispered weakly.

Jack's smile widened over his sharp features.

"Ah, and what exactly are you _feeling _pumpkin?" Jack swooned casually letting the front of his shirt yawn open.

Maya felt all the breath leave her as the shirt came off. The way he spoke to her, the way he took his clothes off, it was like watching a ballet. The grace of it all was astounding, mesmerizing. It had her captivated by it, captured by it.

Jack's hands went to his belt, gently toying with the buckle, prying it loose and sliding the expensive leather out from each belt loop.

Jack's eyes flicked up to Maya for a second, waiting for his answer.

"Pleasured." Maya whispered breathily.

Jack smiled and undid the catches of his tight dress trousers.

Maya could see the taught line of his want against his thigh. A thick, swell pressed against his leg intimidatingly.

Maya's body quivered in her bound position.

Jack drew down his zipper and allowed his trousers to hang open loosely.

"That's right siren." Jack hissed standing, and cracking his neck.

Jack pushed his trousers the rest of the way down and stepped out of them casually.

Maya watched as he approached her, sporting nothing but his tight, black, boxer briefs.

His erection pressed sideways against the material, creating a massive taut bulge that left Maya's thighs shaking.

She felt her cheeks stain with bright red heat.

Jack leaned down and tilted Maya's chin up slightly, forcing her gray eyes to meet with his.

"Oh and we have only just gotten started pumpkin." Jack swooned to her his voice like warm syrup dripping over the siren's skin.

Jack ran his index finger up behind her ear and then was gone again, out of her line of vision.

Maya could hear him picking something up off the coffee table, then could feel him approaching her from behind once more.

His hands came across her bare back end, then suddenly he was strapping something to her.

The slim mechanism felt like a type of undergarment as Jack tightened it.

She could feel the cold of something solid against her slit, pressing there gently.

When Jack returned to her vision, he had a small remote in hand.

A half smile clung to the corner of his mouth, curling upward wickedly.

Jack hooked his thumbs in the elastic of his boxers.

Maya sucked in a sharp breath as he did so.

Jack pushed his boxers down farther, slowly, ridiculously slowly.

Finally he hefted them down just enough for his erection to spring free proudly.

Maya let loose of a little groan and shifted her cuffed hands.

Maya had always heard rumor that Jack was well...no small man to be reckoned with.

But she had honestly never really believed that.

She figured he'd talked himself up.

Of course Handsome Jack would want everybody to think that not only was he handsome as all hell, but he was hung like a horse.

In this case...the rumors certainly had not been untrue.

Jack was long, and thick, and _solid. _

Jack took a step closer his want hovering teasingly just inches from Maya's lips.

She could feel her mouth watering, her senses catching fire. She wanted his heaviness on her tongue, she wanted his taste in her mouth. She wanted it all.

She tried to croon her neck just far enough to press her lips to his head, but he purposely kept just out of reach.

Jack cocked his head to the side playfully.

"You want it don't you siren?" Jack cooed deviously.

Maya made a low whine in her throat.

"Please." Maya huffed.

"You can beg better than that." Jack groaned gently stroking his palm down his shaft.

Maya looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Oh Jack please...I want your big, thick, cock in my mouth. I wanna suck every...last...little...drop from you. _Please_." Maya groaned lowly.

Jack moaned out his voice gruff and ragged.

"That's better sweet cheeks." He whispered lowly.

Jack gently pried Maya's mouth open and tilted her chin up.

He then slid into her awaiting lips, feeling the warmth of her enclosing him, sucking around him.

Jack let loose a low, pleased sound and gently worked his fingers through Maya's locks, grasping the back of her head gently.

Jack was sharp on her tongue, his taste heavy and masculine and _good. _

Maya groaned around him, causing Jack to shudder and moan out, that honied voice of his surrounding her being.

Maya ran her tongue over his underside, she liked the feeling of his weight on her, the feeling of his girth stretching the corners of her mouth.

Then suddenly Jack held up the small remote in his palm and gently flicked the on switch.

Immediately Maya was jolted by the feelings of small vibrations coursing between her thighs.

She cried out loudly, Jack's wet erection coming free from her mouth.

Jack grinned wryly at Maya's reaction and grabbed her chin again, sliding back between her lips.

Maya rocked her hips against the contraption strapped between her thighs, the vibrations jolting up through her veins.

She moaned around Jack's length her tongue quick and eager.

She could taste Jack's pre-cum, it was salty and thick. It was a needy taste. A heavy taste.

She let his length slip from her hot mouth and nosed the side of his shaft needfully.

She ran her tongue up his sack, leaving a slow, warm, wet trail behind.

Jack's hands messed through Maya's hair gently, gripping harder, needing her more.

He moaned out louder as Maya sucked his angry red tip, his hips bucking into her hot mouth.

Maya could feel her tattoos glowering warmly, her eyelids fluttering closed wontonly.

She could feel her orgasm building wildly, flaring in her groin, heating her from the inside out.

Jack pressed into Maya's mouth farther, and she choked a little around him.

Her throat closing around him gently.

Jack hissed a moan through his gritted teeth and his fingers curled tighter in Maya's hair.

He turned up the switch on the remote casually.

Maya bucked forward, taking Jack more desperately.

She couldn't think, couldn't form a sane string of complete thoughts if she had wanted to. She let Jack's cock pop from her mouth as she moaned out loudly her body convulsing in shuddering waves of pleasure.

"JACK! OH FUCK!" She nearly screamed as orgasm flooded over her.

Jack grinned down at her viciously.

"Oh that's right baby come for me." Jack whispered stroking her hair adoringly.

Maya slumped harder, her body exhausted by the second orgasm pushed upon her.

Jack stripped his boxers off completely and clicked the switch off on the remote.

Maya laid her head against the leather, drooling on it slightly.

Jack gently reached down and undid the ankle restraints on the spreader bar.

He detached it from Maya's legs and she slumped forward overcome by exhaustion.

Jack smiled at her weakened state and went on to undo the vibrating contraption, now soaked with her fluids. Her handcuffs came off last, her wrists sore and red.

He crouched down next to the leather chair a sparkling glint in his eyes and a wicked grin on his lips.

"It's amazing what I can do to you so easily siren, mold you like clay in my palms." Jack whispered.

Maya's eyes flickered open just barely her breath uneven and ragged.

"S-Shut up." Maya stammered.

Jack merely grinned wider.

He grabbed the worn siren and carried her across the room.

He plunked her down on the bed and instantly he was on top of her half nude body, pressing her down with his weight.

He kissed up her jaw, soft and slow.

"I suppose I have punished you enough for one night." Jack snarled pressing his lips against hers.

Maya squirmed a bit beneath him, the space between her thighs uncomfortably wet.

Jack grabbed the cups of her lacy bra and pulled them downward, allowing her healthy breasts to roll out and greet him.

His lips captured her left nipple, sucking diligently, rolling the bud with his tongue softly.

His fingers came up to pay due attention to her right, twirling it in his finger pads, squeezing softly, gaining weak, needy sighs from the siren beneath him.

His lips abandoned her pert breast and kissed along her collarbone, his lips soft and warm, burning her skin with each little bit of contact.

Maya sighed out and arched her hips up off the bed slightly, feeling Jack's hardness against her stomach.

Her brain was near mush as it tried desperately to cling to any one thought.

Jack sucked her neck hard, leaving perfect little purple marks on her sun kissed flesh.

Finally Maya's voice came to her.

"J-Jack..." She whispered breathlessly her fingers splaying out over Jack's strong shoulders.

He kissed her chin and his eyes flicked up to meet hers.

"Yeah pumpkin?" Jack whispered sucking her bottom lip.

"Fuck me already." She huffed her nails digging into his skin harshly.

Jack groaned out deeply and threw her a gorgeous, pearly, evil grin.

Jack lifted Maya's hips to him and pushed his hardness against her slick opening.

With a roll of his hips he thrusted into her body moaning out loudly at the feeling of her hot insides encasing him.

Maya gritted her teeth as Jack stretched her.

It certainly had been a while.

She felt the pinch as his girth invaded her, it was a good, wonderful ache that she had missed so damned much.

"F-Fuck you're so god damned _tight_." Jack groaned lowly.

Maya bucked against Jack's hips, her eyes falling closed as she allowed herself to sink into the feeling of him inside her.

Fuck it was so wrong.

All of it.

But how could something so wrong...be so damned good.

Jack's lips crushed into Maya's hard, his tongue sliding along her teeth meanly, breaking up her thoughts.

Her hand's came up through his perfect hair, parting through the chocolate locks, feeling how soft they were beneath her finger pads.

His lone gray streak parted through his hair became more apparent as she stroked through his locks.

The silver hairs gave him a sort of aged sophistication. A demeanor of wisdom, and Maya found it more of a turn on than she would openly admit.

He pulled back from the kiss heaving for breath, his hips rolling into Maya's frantically.

The feeling of him filling her over and over again had her body reeling all anew.

Her eyes danced over his perfect features, his face contorted into a look of sheer ecstasy. His eyes were closed, squeezed shut, his eyebrows knitted together firmly, his mouth open just slightly.

His neck was flushed where as his face wasn't, the skin of the mask was pristine and perfect.

His fists balled into the bedding as he snapped his hips against her harder.

Maya wrapped her aching thighs around his waist and cried out pitifully, tilting her head back dramatically.

Jack ran his tongue up her exposed throat, sinking his erection into her deeper, harder, faster.

"You like that siren?" Jack rasped.

Maya moaned out, her voice rich and thick with need.

"YES!" She yelled out pitifully.

Jack rutted against her mercilessly, his rhythm strong and quick, his abdomen folding with every movement.

His muscles stretched, worked, moved so fluidly, so perfectly.

Jack suddenly leaned up, his nails digging into Maya's hips as he lifted her to him, spreading her wider, giving her more.

He moaned breathlessly, his voice rough and ragged with absolute need.

Small beads of sweat formed on his chest, rolling down the swells of his torso, through the brown, coarse hairs leading to his groin.

Maya was so wet, her fluids dripping over Jack's balls, running down the insides of her thighs.

Her body was tired and yet she could feel the orgasm building in her gut already.

She wasn't even sure if her body could muster another orgasm in such a short time, and yet she wanted it.

She wanted it so badly.

Jack pressed his thumb into her clit as he fucked her, drawing quick, perfect little circles.

Maya arched off the bed, yelling out moans that carried the whisper of Jack's name upon them. She couldn't stop it, couldn't help it.

Over and over and over again her lips formed around the syllables of his name. It came off her tongue thick and smooth and _right. _

His nails dragged down her stockings, tearing them easily as he grabbed at them.

The sound of the ripping material seemed to rouse something even more deeply primal in Jack.

"OH YES!" Jack bellowed lowly pounding into Maya with more urgency.

His thrusts were hungry, mean, and needing.

He could feel his cock swelling, becoming harder, thicker as orgasm built in his groin like a wild fire.

Maya was so hot around him, so wet, her walls like velvet encasing him.

Maya yelled out louder flinging her hands up over her head in the throws of pleasure.

"H-HARDER!" Maya begged uselessly as her body fell apart around her.

Jack pressed harder, pushing her closer and closer to orgasm.

Jack obeyed, his breath coming in short shallow pants.

Maya bucked up, practically yelling as her body came undone.

Her entrance squeezed around Jack's girth, throbbing around him, her nails digging into him, her thighs crushing to his hips.

Jack all but doubled over as Maya came around him.

"FUCK MAYA I'M GUNNA CUM!" He cried out loudly his hands gripping around her thighs mercilessly.

Jack pulled out, his hand coming to stroke himself frantically, and he was coming.

He made a low sound like he'd been punched in the gut.

His cock jumping with every cum shot, long ropes of semen decorating up Maya's form.

Over and over again.

Maya collapsed back onto the bed, chest heaving, body shuddering wildly.

Jack rolled off her tiredly, his breath ragged, his eyes closed tiredly.

For a long time nothing was said between the two. There was just the sound of heavy breathing filling the silence that lingered there.

Jack's eyes finally opened just barely after a long, long while.

He rolled onto his side just as Maya turned her head slightly to look at the disheveled man.

He cracked a tired smile at the worn siren.

"Hey." He whispered his breath short.

Maya smiled and shook her head.

"Hey yourself." She breathed looking up at the ceiling, blinking slow and tired.

Maya slowly drew in a long, tired breath.

He whole body felt like a puddle of jello, like all her bones had simply melted.

In this moment she no longer worried about bounties, and the hardships of Pandora.

She didn't worry about where her next meal would come from or how much ammo she had left.

She didn't worry about the vault hunters back in Sanctuary.

Everything was perfect as she laid there on the massive bed, with overly expensive sheets, next to the very face of Hyperion.

Nothing could have been sweeter.

Maya sat up slowly and accessed the damages to her body.

She was decorated in Jack's heavy finish like a damned Christmas tree, her leggings torn to shreds.

Her bra seemed to be the only piece of lingerie that had made it out alive from the ordeal, minus the good dose of semen to it.

She unhooked the lacy thing and dropped it on the floor slowly.

"I thought you paid a lot of money for this stupid set of lingerie?" Maya questioned looking over at Jack who was still flopped out on his back on the velvet bedding.

He nodded slowly and forced himself to sit up.

He ran a hand through his hair and groaned lowly.

"I did." He huffed exhaustedly.

"Just to tear them all up?" Maya questioned.

Jack cocked a little half smile.

"Just to tear them all off of you. Worth every single cent sweet cheeks." He whispered looking at her deviously.

Maya shook her head and laughed smally.

Jack stretched his arms up over his head, his abdominal muscles moving with catlike grace.

He leaned over to kiss Maya's ear gently and chuckled as he looked over her.

"Hm. Kinda a mess there aren't you kiddo?" Jack hummed sweetly.

Maya shot him a dirty look.

"Yeah wonder how that happened." She snarled in his direction.

Suddenly Jack grabbed her and swept her off the bed, heading for the bathroom.

"Hey, HEY I can walk!" Maya protested angrily.

"Can you? Really?" Jack whispered back in a matter of fact sort of fashion.

Maya sighed out and rolled her eyes as he carried her into the shower and set her down gingerly.

Maya chose to sit on the tile instead of stand, her legs aching and tired beyond the point of even trying to use them.

Jack sunk down to the floor also, gently pulling Maya into his lap.

Normally she would have fought against such a stupid action, but in that moment...she was too tired and it was too nice having him gently soap her up.

He ran the loofa over her dirtied body, letting the water rinse away the mess he'd made of her, all while occasionally kissing on her neck. Sometimes with teeth, sometimes without.

She sighed as she leaned her head back against him.

He was warm, and solid against her, his shoulder muscles rolling as he washed her down.

Jack nosed against the shell of her ear gently.

"How you feeling pumpkin?" He whispered.

Maya breathed out.

"Good and tired...just like I like it." She breathed smiling gently.

"Satisfied with the performance then hmm vault hunter?" Jack questioned teasingly.

"Very much so Mr. President." Maya teased back.

The shower felt like it took an eternity. Maya was certain she never wanted to leave its confines.

She groaned reluctantly as Jack carried her from the shower and wrapped her in a fresh, fluffed yellow robe sporting the Hyperion logo across the back of course.

He set her down in the large bed and Maya wormed beneath the covers and sunk her head into the oversized pillows.

Jack laid out next to her, not bothering to put any clothing on.

He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed a pack of cigarettes, some brand that damn sure wasn't sold around Sanctuary, or any of the other shit hole cities around Pandora.

He perched one between his lips and lit up with a solid gold lighter.

He look a long draw on the cigarette and breathed out slowly, his eyes closing gently.

Jack looked over at Maya slowly.

Maya scrunched up her nose at him.

"That's a nasty habit you know." Maya snarled from her curled up position under the blankets.

Jack snorted wryly.

"Like you are one to talk. You should know all about bad habits." Jack scoffed.

Maya rolled her eyes.

"Like what bad habits do I have huh big shot? Name one." Maya retorted.

Jack gave her a vicious look and took another drag on his cigarette, the cherry glowing like a bright coal in the dimly lit room.

"Me." Jack replied cooly.

Maya shot Jack an ugly look.

"Oh fuck you." Maya snarled angrily.

"You just did sweet cheeks." Jack whispered in a sing song fashion taking his cigarette from his lips and blowing the smoke through his nose casually.

Jack finished his cigarette and put it out in the ash tray on the table.

He let loose of a long relaxed breath and laced his fingers across his bare chest.

Maya laughed smally.

"Asshole." She threw the insult out halfheartedly.

Jack rolled over and pressed himself against Maya's robed body.

"You like it." He growled in her ear.

Maya swatted at his chest.

"Yeah yeah. Whatever. You're still a douche." She snarled smiling thinly.

Maya turned over allowing Jack to spoon against her thin frame.

Jack nosed into the nape of her neck, breathing in her scent deeply as he snaked his arms around her waist.

"So. Why'd you avoid me for so long. You really trying to go good Vault Hunter on me?" Jack whispered into her neck.

Maya swallowed and sighed out slowly.

"Yeah. I dunno. Just...felt...like I should try and stop again." Maya shrugged.

"What's it to you anyway asshole? I can come and go as I please." She continued.

Jack smiled against her skin.

"I just hate waiting for you. It's so fucking hard wanting you so badly and not being able to _have_ you." Jack groaned.

"Huh, so Handsome Jack has finally found something he just can't have readily available when he snaps his fingers. Must be hard huh big shot?" Maya whispered snark heavy in her tone.

Jack sighed and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Which is exactly why you are my weakness." Jack whispered tiredly.

"Stay the night." He breathed into her hair.

Maya felt her breath catch in her throat.

She never stayed the night.

That was not how it worked.

As soon as it was over, she would have Jack take her right back to the fast travel and she would be on her way to Sanctuary like nothing had ever happened.

Maya groaned out and turned to look at Jack.

"I don't stay the night. You know that." Maya argued sharply.

Jack ran his finger across her lips.

"Please." He whispered.

Maya sucked in a heavy breath.

"No." May shook her head slowly.

"I'll take you to the fast travel first thing in the morning." Jack pressed running his hand over the dip of Maya's side.

"I will be light out. We don't do drop offs and pickups when it's light out." Maya argued.

"Then stay the day with me. I'll drop you as soon as it gets dark tomorrow." Jack whispered slyly.

Maya narrowed her eyes at him.

"That's not how this works." She snapped.

"Who says? Stay. Take as many warm showers as you want. Eat as much fine food as you want. Grant me your company, just for the day kiddo. Just one day." Jack whispered in her ear, kissing her jaw gently.

Maya made a low sound in her throat at the touch of Jack's lips.

"Pandora is too hard on you siren. Let me patch you up with good rest and the finest of things before you have to go back. It's been two months. I need longer than a few hours with you." Jack breathed.

Maya closed her eyes for much longer than the standard blink.

The offer was beyond enticing.

She been out in the roughest parts of Pandora for weeks.

Battling more creatures and monsters than she would like to think about.

She'd been bumped around and beaten down.

She'd been burned, shot at, bled on, and god knew what else.

What would one day hurt?

She groaned.

She knew she shouldn't.

God she knew.

But the offer was so damned good.

So fucking good.

"One day. That's it. Don't get used to it." Maya snapped turning back over.

Jack smiled into her shoulder and kissed it softly.

"There's my bad, bad girl." Jack whispered tauntingly.

Made grunted in response.

"Sleep. Ease those aching muscles." Jack swooned in her ear, laying on the pillow beside her, his body surrounding her protectively.

Maya nestled into the bedding, surrounded in the warmth of the blankets and Jack's body heat.

She shouldn't like it as much as she did.

She really shouldn't.

She looked out the large picture window.

The view of the city was spectacular, all the lights glittering stories below, spread across the vast landscape.

She couldn't argue with the beautiful, perfect, nature of it.

She breathed out long and slow.

Then she closed her eyes to sleep.

In a bed bigger than she needed, with pillows more expensive than an entire home back in Sanctuary, wrapped in the arms of her worst enemy.


	4. Eggs Over Easy

Eggs over easy

Maya's eyes rolled beneath her eyelids.

She could just barely detect light shining through them and felt the warmth of sunshine bearing down on her.

She shifted beneath the comforters irritably and groaned out. Everything in her being protested such things as actually dragging herself from the warm embrace of sleep.

She yawned widely and stretched her arms up over her head.

Her eyes cracked open ever so slightly, blinking rapidly in the early morning rays.

Her hands spread over the softness of the bedding.

Since when did the beds in Sanctuary feel this soft? She thought to herself sleepily.

Maya's eyes snapped open.

She hadn't returned to Sanctuary last night.

She was still in Opportunity.

Fuck, she though to herself angrily.

How dare she let Jack talk her into staying the night. She was so stupid. Breaking her own fucking rules like this. Was this what she had come to?

She groaned angrily and pressed her palms into her eyelids.

She wondered if the others were already wondering why she hadn't returned to sanctuary.

I mean they were adults, they came and went as they pleased.

But she'd made the mistake of confirming she'd be returning last night.

Well that was before she decided she just had to fucking quench her thirst for the forbidden fruit.

The ache in her muscles only reminded her of how good it had felt to just be bad last night. To not listen to her better judgement.

Her thighs were sore and abused, the muscles in her abdomen ached from tightening with too many orgasms forced upon her.

The aches and pains were like metals of honor. They were so fucking good.

She rolled onto her back and sighed out slowly.

"Well good morning kiddo." Came a voice from beside her.

Maya's eyes flicked to the other side of the bed.

Jack was sprawled across the bed, leaned back on a stack of pillows lazily.

He didn't even look at Maya when he spoke to her, he was nose deep in some sort of Opportunity newspaper, peering over a pair of dark rimmed reading glasses.

Maya swallowed.

She'd never seen him wear glasses.

Fuck he looked good in them.

Like a college professor gone rotten or something.

She'd better spout off something snarky before he got wind of how fucking hot she actually thought them to be.

"Nice glasses. Makes you look like an old perv." Maya snarled grinning wryly.

Jack set the newspaper down on his lap and shot her an unamused, vicious look over his lenses.

Maya felt her cheeks go hot as he stared at her.

A small smile broke across his expressionless face.

"You aren't a good liar." Jack stated, flicking his newspaper and continuing to read through it.

Maya huffed out and turned over, away from the President's gaze.

The sun was already high over Opportunity, and Maya suddenly wondered what time it was.

How late had she slept?

"What time is it?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Twelve." Jack said back shortly, adjusting his glasses slightly.

"Fuck, why didn't you wake me up? I never sleep this damned late." Maya groaned sitting up slowly.

Jack shrugged.

"You needed the sleep." He said smiling at her in that overly professional way he always did.

She groaned out and cracked her neck.

Her robe had come open in her sleep, falling around her shoulders lightly, exposing her nude features beneath casually.

Jack watched her with sudden interest glowering in his eyes.

Maya frowned in his direction and irritably re-covered her exposed flesh. Jack seemed to gather some sort of amusement out of the sire's action.

"Keep your eyes to yourself would you." She snarled over her shoulder plunking crankily back into the pillow.

She could feel Jack's incongruous gaze soaking over her as she curled into the mattress and it only served to irritate her further.

Maya was not used to waking up next to someone. Her mornings were spent in the comfort of solitude and she was not used to having company. The presence of the other body in the bed put her on edge, her spine tingling in a defensive manner. It didn't help that her bed company happened to be the very man trying to bring Pandora to it's knees.

She sighed out tiredly and ran her hand through her morning-wild hair. She hadn't felt this rested in what felt like an eternity. She may have still been cursing herself for allowing for the little sleep over...but damned did it feel good. She couldn't complain with rising to a rested body and mind. She felt replenished and renewed. Her energy recharged and she knew with all her heart despite her better judgment...she had needed this.

Suddenly Maya's stomach gave a pestering groan for attention. Maya clutched it in a shushing manner and sighed. She hated to admit that she was absolutely famished, her stomach gnawing hungrily at her backbone. She hadn't eaten a good meal in longer than she'd like to think about and all the activity from the day previous had left her near starving.

She'd scarfed down some mushy stew before leaving Sanctuary...but she hardly called the questionable slop a true meal.

She did her best to stifle the growls of hunger from her stomach and curled her knees a tad. She wasn't about to actually admit to being hungry, much less actually ask for breakfast. She wouldn't stoop that fucking low that was for sure.

Jack seemed to perk at the sounds from his partner's stomach and laid the newspaper down on the bedside table. The next moment he was sliding across the bed to invade her space.

Maya could feel herself tense as he approached, all the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end as his lips found her nape gently. His eyelids fell slightly as he trailed kisses down her skin, and Maya found herself tilting her throat to the side, allowing him to do so. Allowing him to place the kisses there.

She sighed into the warm feeling of his lips against her bare skin and closed her eyes.

"What do you want for breakfast kiddo?" Jack husked against the curve of her ear tenderly.

Maya felt herself shiver involuntarily.

She caught her breath in her throat and shook the feelings away in vain. How dare she let him swoon her so damned easily. Just talk about breakfast already had her knees weakening. Pathetic.

"I'm not hungry." Maya snapped in an impatient tone.

Jack chuckled at the siren's snark and placed his large palm on her side, gently thumbing at her hipbone through the material of her robe.

"I already told you kiddo. You really are not a good liar." Jack whispered to her his tone slightly scolding, slightly arousing.

Jack ran the point of his tongue along the shell of Maya's ear slowly, gathering an involuntary little gasp from the siren's throat.

His fingers curled tighter around her hip, the robe crinkling at the touch.

"Maybe the siren isn't hungry for breakfast this morning...but she is hungry for something else..." Jack husked hotly against her tender ear.

Maya felt pleasant tingles scatter like electricity through her body as Jack breathed the words to her.

She felt her breath hitch in her throat as his lips found her neck, sucking gently, worrying the pale flesh until it was rendered red and throbbing. Maya felt a tinge of blush spread rapidly over her face and rush down her throat. She swallowed hard, her throat flexing with the action.

Suddenly Maya was mentally cursing herself for allowing him to get the better of her. As she lie basking into his touch she was making herself look weaker by the second.

Maya caught a small moan in her throat and clenched her teeth.

Maya snorted and wriggled out of Jack's arms irritably.

"Don't flatter yourself." Maya snarled sitting up irritably leaving Jack leaned on his elbow near the empty space where she'd been a few moments before.

He sighed out long and low, a strand of his brown locks falling over his mask gently.

"Well aren't you just a little ray of sunshine." Jack growled throwing her an unamused sarcastic look.

Maya swung her legs over the side of the mattress, turning her back on the Hyperion CEO and huffed out stubbornly.

"You aren't exactly a morning person are you cupcake?" Jack taunted wryly, the corners of his mouth pulling up into a casual little smile.

Maya threw him an ugly glare as she stood from the bed and folded her arms across her chest.

The stare down lasted for a couple of seconds in silence as Jack sighed and leaned backward on the bed.

If there was any sort of argument to be had, or fight to be fought, the Siren would no doubt find it and start it...or finish it. She was an impossible thing really. As wild as the Pandoran wildlife, as rough as the population that inhabited it, and more fierce than the dust storms that ravaged the planet's surface. She felt more intensely, loved and hated harder than anybody he'd ever known. She was confusing, frustrating and was exceptionally good at driving a man to madness. The way she flip flopped from lover, to enemy, to friend and then back again so quick you were liable to get whiplash. She was a bandit if he had ever laid eyes on one. She'd come to this planet to learn, and learned she had. She'd learned to be fierce. She'd learned to be brutal. She'd learned to survive. She'd learned to shoot, stab, and steal. She'd learned to be a better bandit than the next guy over and because of that, she was still alive and prospering. She'd shoot first and ask questions later. She was everything Jack hated about this damned planet, and yet he couldn't find it in him to lump her in with the rest of Pandora's scum. She was...different in a way. Different in her beauty and the complexity that she buried within herself. There was more to her puzzle than what lied on the surface. Pieces that had been long swallowed, forgotten or tossed aside.

Jack shook his head and cracked a small smile at the stubborn woman before him. He'd never really met someone that could match...and nearly outdo him in the stubborn department. Yet there she stood, arms tight across her chest, adorned in only her robe, hips thrown to one side as she shifted her weight irritably.

The silence between the two of them seemed to unnerve the siren as she huffed out and settled her vision to the ceiling, avoiding eye contact with the Hyperion CEO.

"I'm going to run a bath. Soak the ache out of my muscles for a bit." She snarled and then she was gone through the bathroom threshold, slamming the door behind her.

Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head at the now closed door.

That woman was something else entirely.

Maya took her time in the bath, allowing the warmth of the water to get deep down into her throbbing muscles. She could feel all the tightness unraveling around her as the water lapped at her body. She leaned her head back against the high tub rim and groaned out lowly. Her growling stomach only reminded her of how much she needed to nourishment. It had been an hour since she'd disappeared into the bathroom, irritated by Jack...well just being Jack. She knew she had to get out at some point. She couldn't just hide in here forever. Hell it was her own fault she was here in the first place. She should have been firm and refused to let him talk her into staying the night. She should have been stronger, and yet she had not been, She'd let those green and blue eyes, and that wicked smile coax her into their bed. She'd let Jack get the better of her and she hated herself for it. She hated she'd allowed herself to be weak. She sighed and dragged herself from the tub, sloshing water onto the tile floor sloppily.

She dried herself and yanked a fresh robe from the wall to cover her naked form in. She gently pried the door open just a crack and poked her head out observantly. The bedroom proved empty to her surprise. Maya furrowed her eyebrows together and opened the door wider.

The side door connecting to the bedroom was yawned open, inviting her into an whole other part of the condo that she had never had the pleasure of setting foot in. During these little meet ups she liked to keep everything in one room. Short, sweet and to the point. Bedroom activities only. The open door signified how different this time was to be, and how she had broken every last one of her own rules in a single night. Maya groaned out loudly and ran her fingers through her hair regretfully. Maya treaded slowly into the uncharted waters of the other room, her feet padding softly across the carpet. She moved slow, as if sneaking up on some bandit camp out in the dust. All her senses at the ready, her legs prepared to run, to dodge, to act accordingly if things went sour.

Instead she is met by a wide room that is host to a massive kitchen to her left, a den looking area to her right adorned with many couches, and a couple of tables. There was another portion to the room straight back, half of it sectioned off by glazed, painted glass. Her eyes soak in the newness of the room, taking account of the many, many different types of strange looking plants decorating the space. Hanging plants, potted plants, some with large leaves, some tall with many branches. Maya cocked an eyebrow in interest. The place nearly looked like a green house with all the plant life. The room was bathed in brilliant light casting from the entire wall of picture windows that allowed for a glorious view over Opportunity. As she entered the room her senses were instantly overtaken by the glorious scents of nourishment. She inhaled the unmistakable aroma of freshly cooked bacon, it's scent closely tailed by the heavy smell of syrup. The scents mixed in the air, washing over her pleasantly.

Maya sighed out at the smell. Her mouth watered shamelessly, eager to find the source. She was less cautious as she pressed on, driven by the nagging hunger nipping at her heels.

The siren silently rounded the corner and entered the room sectioned off by glass walls. It hosted a massive dining table, set with eight seats, the surface of it topped with every breakfast item Maya could have possibly imagined.

The warming glow of another set presence swept over her and instantly her grey eyes met with green and blue.

Jack was leaned back in his seat at the head of the table, paperwork neatly placed before him as he scribed his signature across the sheet on top.

Jack peered at Maya over his glasses, a thin smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he watched her approach.

Maya looked at the Hyperion CEO and then at the table full of food.

She stood cemented to the spot in which she stood hesitantly. Jack nodded casually to the seat next to him and continued to offer her that heart stopping, casual gaze of his.

"Well c'mon kiddo, it isn't going to bite." Jack snorted flipping the pages of his paperwork.

Maya pulled out the chair provided and gently let herself sink into it. She wished her brain could muster up some sarcastic remark to shoot at Jack, she really did, but she was left with nothing. Silenced by the sheer awe of the meal presented to her. She set all her hesitations aside and finally allowed her hunger to get the best of her. She grabbed a plate and began shoveling food onto it. Jack casually moved his paperwork aside as she reached over him to grab a handful of biscuits. Maya sat back in her seat and pushed a piece of bacon into her mouth, chewing it loudly. She made a satisfied noise in her throat and swallowed, only to immediately follow up with another piece of bacon.

Jack watched her with a twinge of interest and a twinge of disgust as she scarfed the food down with little regard for things such as manners. Maya grabbed the carton of orange juice, popped it open and took a swig straight from the container. Jack grimaced slightly and knitted his eyebrows together.

"Do you...want a glass? Or...silverware? I mean really kiddo watching you eat is like...watching a wild Skag or something..." Jack snarked suddenly.

Maya shoved another piece of bacon into her mouth and shot the President an unamused glare.

"Bite me." She declared with a mouth full of food, spitting a little back onto her full plate.

Jack shook his head and scribbled something on his paperwork.

"Cupcake we really gotta work on those table manners of yours." Jack scolded his eyes still on the paper in front of him.

Maya sorted, swallowed and rolled her eyes blatantly.

"Like hell I am." She snarled.

"Oh what's wrong Jack, does it bother you the way I eat? Too heathen for your liking? Too bandit for your taste?" Maya taunted biting into a crispy piece of toast noisily.

Jack simply frowned at her and pushed his glasses back up his nose.

Maya chortled in a satisfactory little way and grinned wryly.

The siren leaned back in her chair a bit farther and casually nibbled on a piece of breakfast sausage, her eyes wandering out the great picture window. The grand city spread out as far as the eye could see, the streets bustling with activity like a mound of spider ants that had been disturbed.

Maya looked down at the paperwork beneath Jack's palms and narrowed her eyes.

"Making plans to murder more innocent people?" Maya questioned suddenly.

Jack's eyes flicked up to meet her intrusive question.

He made a low disapproving noise in his throat.

"Actually it's called civilizing a planet." Jack hissed in a dark tone of voice.

Maya let a little breath hiss between her lips disapprovingly.

"You just keep telling yourself that." Maya retorted softly.

Jack seemed rather displeased with the Siren's commentary.

The CEO stood casually, gathered his paperwork in his large fingers, and proceeded to set it on a small table by the wall.

Jack closed the small gap between him and the siren, then leaned down slowly, pressing his palms on the table his eyes now level with Maya's.

"Don't act so innocent Vault Hunter. You murder people every day...just like I do." Jack snarled his voice deep and dangerous.

Maya felt a sudden sense of danger tickle across the back of her neck. She stiffened in her chair as Jack leaned closer.

Maya narrowed her eyes.

"I don't murder people the way you do." Maya protested slowly her voice coming out much less confident than she would have liked.

Jack's fingers curled beneath Maya's chin, tipping her head back slightly, forcing her to look at him.

"Of course, because your method of murder is much more civilized and humane than mine. Of course siren, silly me." Jack chuckled lowly.

His laugh was laced with malice and taunts as it ghosted across Maya's ears.

Maya frowned, her stomach sinking, her heart beginning to accelerate without her control. His fingers were not so gentle as they clasped her chin, they were forceful, and they were powerful.

He was the most powerful man on the planet, and he had no qualms about displaying that raw, utter, power he held.

Maya said nothing. She simply clenched her jaw tight and adverted her eyes from the Hyperion President's glare.

Jack ran his thumb slowly across her bottom lip, the gesture coming across as more intimidating than sweet. It was like an unsaid warning.

A wicked grin cracked across Jack's thin features smoothly.

"What are you trying to do here pumpkin? Convince yourself that you don't kill the way I kill, so that makes you better? That makes you less of a monster than I? Who you trying to convince here? Me or you?" Jack whispered maliciously his pearly teeth unsheathing from behind perfect lips.

Maya could swear for a moment she could see fangs in that white smile of his. Fangs and horns and all the features that went a long with a monster. A monster in man's clothing.

Maya opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. She just couldn't find them within her throat. They fluttered from her mouth like a flock of frightened birds, leaving her breathless and useless. She swallowed shallowly, her tongue pressing against the backs of her teeth, the hollows of her mouth suddenly drier than moments previous.

Jack's ill assorted eyes narrowed into devious little slits, sly and calculating as he took in the siren. He seemed to feed on her pronounced discomfort as he rallied it up from her gut. He tilted his head to the side slowly. The motion was toying and unnerving. Like a cat toying with a mouse. The predator allowing the prey to think for a moment that maybe it would be safe, that maybe it would escape harm, when really there would be none of that. The prey was doomed, no matter how the predator dressed the fact. No matter how it disguised it.

Jack gently pressed on the siren's bottom lip, parting her mouth slightly. He pushed his thumb into her maw and Maya instinctively sucked her plump pillows around the digit. Confusion washed over her eyes as they sparkled up at the Hyperion overlord. He seemed to suck a sharp breath in through his teeth as Maya ran her tongue along the underside of his thumb, the lithe appendage warming and wetting the skin delicately.

"Oh Maya what am I going to _do _with you?" Jack swooned his dangerous tone melting into that of a more wanting, desiring, tone.

Maya said nothing, just simply let Jack press down on her tongue with his digit, hindering her speech. He did not want an answer to the question. She knew that all too well. It was more statement than it ever would be question.

Suddenly Jack removed his thumb from her lips with a subtle little pop. He stared at her for a fleeting moment then with a flowing swipe of his palm he pushed the dishes on the table aside, allowing some to crash off the table and scatter to the floor in pieces.

Maya stared wide eyed and silent at the motion. A gasp parted her lips as Jack hauled her out of her chair and sprawled her out on the dining room table. Her back hit hard, knocking the breath right out of her lungs, her fingers instinctively clutching Jack's broad shoulders.

"You are just so fucking...wild...tamed by no man." Jack breathed hulking over her, one palm placed flat against the table, the other pressed against Maya's right thigh.

Maya let a broken breath pass her lips and simply stared at Jack with observant eyes.

He bent in to allow his lips to slide along the dip of her throat, sucking the flesh diligently as his fingers hooked in the belt of the robe.

"Sirens weren't meant to be tamed..." Maya breathed into Jack's ear her words hot and low against his temple.

He shuddered into the siren beneath him and let his eyes fall closed ever so slightly. He kissed along her jawline, his lips soft and lusting.

"And untamed you shall stay." Jack husked against her, the hinge of his mask brushing her throat as he kissed down it.

Maya sucked in a sharp, frantic breath and arched her hips into Jack's, her fingers curling into his Hyperion yellow shirt. Jack made a low noise in his throat as the lithe woman moved against him, her frame so much smaller and more agile than his own.

Her strong, legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him closer to her, molding their bodies into one form as Jack pressed her into the table in the afternoon light. The sunlight was brilliant as it washed over them, warm on Maya's face, highlighting the grey streak in the older man's locks, causing the hinges of his mask to shimmer gorgeously. Maya reached up and ran her hand down Jack's sharp cheekbone, her fingers slight and tender on the false flesh. Jack seemed to melt into the touch, sighing out lowly and tilting his head into the touch, kissing her wrist softly. Her legs were strong around him. made that way by many a battle. Molded by Pandora and all of it's hardships. You had to be strong here. Pandora had no room in her arms for the weak and the boneless. She only kept those that could run, those that could kill, those that were strong and resilient. She was a hard mother, Pandora, she was not kind to her children. Maya arched her neck to kiss Jack's throat, feeling his adams apple bob as he swallowed hard against her. She smiled against the flushed skin, warm beneath her lips.

"Sudden change of heart huh?" Maya whispered mischievously.

Jack purred into her short cropped hair and ground his hips into hers slightly.

"You _know_ it turns me on when you're stubborn cupcake." Jack groaned against her temple.

"Nobody else on this fucking planet would _dare_ talk back to Handsome Jack...and yet you...you devious little thing...you don't even hesitate to do so." Jack continued slowly sliding the belt of the robe apart and letting it fall limply on the table.

"Are you not afraid of me huh pumpkin?" Jack snarled tonguing the space just behind her ear.

Maya felt her breath hitch in her throat and she exhaled raggedly through her nose. She could feel Jack's fingers working apart the robe, allowing it to gape open exposing her pale, bare flesh for his viewing pleasure. Suddenly Jack abandoned the quick work he was making of the robe and grabbed Maya's face a little too roughly. Her eyes flew open, meeting with his intense glare as it burned through her.

"I asked you a question kiddo." Jack hissed through his teeth, his voice low and full of deep set arousal.

Maya felt fear settle through her spine, traveling up her limbs like a wildfire. His voice dripped with danger and intended harm. He could kill her if he wanted. He could so very easily. Here she was with no weapons, no backup, nothing except her powers. Her eyes fluttered slightly, heavy lashes draping over glistening grey orbs as she looked upon her enemy turned lover.

"I am." Maya whispered lowly, arching her back off the table slightly, her fingers finding Jack's biceps.

"Why kiddo? Tell me why." Jack commanded against her, prodding her legs apart as he palmed the bottom of her thigh.

Maya bit her bottom lip harshly as his question flowed over her like a heavy blanket. The older male's fingers slid to the inside of her parted thigh, drawing slow, teasing circles. The touch was like feathers being teased over her flesh, just enough for all the hairs on the nape of her neck to stand on end. Jack's neatly cut fingernails dug into the soft skin of her leg, silently telling her she was taking far too long to answer him.

"Because you could kill me if you wanted." Maya moaned her voice weak and strained as it came from her lungs.

Jack seemed to wilt at the mention of the sentence, something in him stirring, something dark in him awakening. His fingers trailed closer to the meet of Maya's thighs, finally ghosting along where she wanted them most. Maya let loose a sharp, feminine, gasp as Jack's fingers traced up her slit, making perfect contact with her most sensitive parts. He teased his thumb against her swollen clit, drawing more rich, pitiful moans up from her throat. He closed the small space between them even more so and pressed his forehead against the siren's. His eyelids were lustfully heavy, drooping over his glistening globular organs. He slowly pressed his index finger against her opening, sliding it into her warm entrance gently. The first finger was joined by another as he allowed them to curl into her body, pressing upward into her internal weakness. Maya cried out, her eyes screwing shut, her cheeks painted brilliantly red. She was wet and warm around his digits, her body pulsing and fluttering around the intrusion frantically. Jack let loose of a low, throaty moan and pressed his lips against Maya's. He kissed her desperately, as if she was all he knew, all he needed, all he could ever ask for. His tongue explored the hollows of her mouth, coming to tease at hers harshly. She bit his bottom lip gently, gathering a low moan from the man that sent cold shivers down her spine. His voice did unholy things to the best of people. It could build you up or burn you down all in a matter of mere seconds. But god how she loved the way it swam over her and caressed her most primal of needs. Jack's fingers were steady as they thrusted into her now, pumping into her mound fluidly.

"You're right pumpkin...I could kill you..." Jack snarled lowly.

He paused for a moment as he removed his fingers from the sirens body and ran them along his chin thoughtfully. He slowly sucked the digits clean, his eyes falling dangerously, savoring the sharp, needy taste. Maya watched starry eyed, enthralled by Jack's graceful movements. He leaned down once more, his lips mere centimeters from her's.

"But I won't. I couldn't imagine not being able to feed my addiction...not being able to have you. I have to have you...all for myself..." Jack groaned as he jingled his belt buckle apart and began on the catches of his overly tight jeans.

Maya could see the taught line pressed there, struggling against the fabric, a dark stain forming where pre-cum had leaked through. She sucked in a sharp, anticipating breath as he undid his clothing. He drew down his golden zipper and reached in to pull his hardness from the tight confines. He breathed out at the release and pushed the material down farther, allowing it to bundle at his thighs. Jack reached down to deliver several long, slow, strokes to his erection and hissed at the contact. Maya watched enthralled as he spread the bead of pre-cum at his prick out over his angry head, slicking it slowly. Maya dipped down and attempted to push herself toward his groin impatiently.

Jack chuckled at her attempt his voice rough and deep.

"Uh, uh, uh siren...ask nicely first." Jack hissed continuing to half heartedly stroke himself.

Maya made a pained noise in her throat and clenched her fists around Jack's shoulders.

"Handsome Jack please..." She whispered her voice high and strained as it left her needy lips.

Jack shuddered at the sound, his big fist pausing around his girth. He leaned forward, pressing his fat head against her folds, feeling her heat radiating against him.

"That's better pumpkin." He husked before sliding into her with a not so gentle thrust.

Maya cried out loudly, throwing her head back against the table, slinging her left arm out to the side, successfully knocking more dishes to the floor. He stuffed himself into the tight, wet space, stretching her out, his head pressed snugly against her cervix. Maya gritted her teeth and let a little mutter of _'fucking shit you're big..." _pass her lips. Jack grinned down at the little declaration and nipped at her bottom lip.

"Oh I _know _I am." He snarled against the heat of her mouth.

Maya furrowed her eyebrows together, and mumbled a small, gasping, _"self absorbed prick" _that successfully drew up deep chuckle from Jack.

Jack's lips found the sirens roughly, pressing against her needy and hard. Jack's palms squeezed around the dips of Maya's hips, his fingernails scraping the tender flesh as he dragged the woman toward him. He rolled his hips into her steadily, finding a quicker, more frantic pace. Maya threw her head back, wild moans slipping desperately from her throat as he backed out of her, and refilled her over and over again. Her body clenched around him, reacting to the glorious feeling of fullness. The slight pinch as his girth stretched her, the pleasurable tingles the actions sent through her. The warmth that was growing at the base of her spine and spreading through her torso.

Jack let loose of a shaky, throaty moan that was hot against Maya's open lips. She parted her eyelids ever so slightly, allowing herself a look at the man on top of her. His eyes were near closed, hiding behind his lenses that were falling down his nose slightly with all the motion. His swooped hair was beginning to droop, and his skin where the mask stopped was flushed, collecting small beads of perspiration. He was the sheer definition of beauty. Beauty she could not understand, nor did she fully want to . A burning desire to have him in every way that should not have existed...and yet...it did. The fact that they were mortal enemies only made the deed that much more exhilarating. Knowing each could kill the other, yet they wouldn't because of the need that had developed within them. It was so wrong, and so right in the very same breath. Maya let herself unravel to him, she let him have her, let him take her. In that moment there were no rules, there was nothing to be broken, there was only need, and the desire to have. Maya dipped down, pressing into Jack's quickening thrusts, begging for more of him, begging for it all.

"H-Harder!" She managed to pant out through broken breaths.

Jack seemed to melt at the words as they washed over him. He complied willingly, snapping his hips into the siren frantically, brutally. Maya clenched around him, hands sliding up underneath his shirt, letting it bundle around the tops of her wrists. She pressed her palm to Jack's chest, feeling his heart thundering beneath the muscle and flesh. Maya groaned out at the feeling, her nails scraping across his flushed, heated skin desperately. She held into him because he was all she had in the moment, grasping him desperately as he owned her.

His blunt nails ravaged little divots in the flesh of her hips as he thrust into her needing body, ragged breathy moans slipping past his parted lips.

He pushed his lips into the crook of her neck, breathing hotly against her skin as his hips continued to pump into her. His thumb trailed the path along her thigh, sweeping down to the space in which he was filling, pushing into her clit.

Maya cried out loudly her voice bounding off the walls and tumbling back over her ears. She could feel Jack smile against her as he dragged more helpless, pitiful moans from the woman with such a simple touch.

Maya could feel the warmth in her stomach spreading out down her thighs, her muscles tightening rapidly. It was too much. Jack's thumb working tight, quick circles around her clit, his girth slamming into her in a wanting, desperate pattern, his lips against her heated throat. It was all too much.

Maya's back stiffed as she lurched up into Jack, mouth coming open only to call his name out with more intensity than she'd intended. Jack fed off the cries from her lips. The sweet sound of his name tumbling off her tongue. The siren's tattoos glowered brightly, shimmering like blue ribbons wrapping down her body. Maya's fingers clenched tighter as her thighs snapped around Jack's body squeezing desperately. With that, she was coming, her body unwrapping around her lover, burning her down in one swift motion. She was moaning curses and prayers, fingers frantic and body convulsing with the hard orgasm. Her entrance flexed around Jack, silk walls squeezing and retracting pleasingly. He made a guttural, primal sound against her skin, his thrusts frantic and sloppy with the pleasing feeling of her body's reaction to her orgasm swarming around him.

"F-Fuck!" Jack snarled his breath panting and chopped.

Maya sunk into the aftermath of climax, her head falling limply onto the table, her eyes closed as she panted and gasped for breath. She relished in the feeling of Jack still rutting into her the motion quickly deteriorating into a messy, desperate pattern. He moaned to her lowly, his velvety voice kissing along Maya's tender ears pleasingly. Her gentle hands abandoned their place at Jack's chest and found their way into his thick locks. Maya twisted her fingers through his hair, letting the soft strands slide over the bends of her fingers and the pads of her thumbs. Jack's left palm cradled the underside of Maya's now near limp leg, hoisting it upward and out, spreading her farther for himself.

She made a pleased little groan in her throat at the action. Most girls did not bend that way, and she was well aware of how much Jack enjoyed her nimble, flexible, battle workout molded body.

She pushed her lips against his cheek, the material of the mask cool to the touch, where as the skin beneath was not.

She could sense he was close by the rhythm of his thrusts, short, rough, needing movements that were anything but coordinated.

She stroked her lither fingers through his hair, massaging them against his scalp and pursed her lips into a kiss against his skin.

"Come for me big boy..." She whispered against his false flesh, the words soft as felt and sweet as honey as they fell from her lips.

Jack made a desperate sound in his throat and his lips formed desperately around the syllables of her name.

His fingers tightened around her leg, twitching around the hard muscle.

Jack made a low sound in his throat, gave a final hard thrust, and he was coming. His cock pulsated in the small space of Maya's body, his head pressed to her end as he filled her with all he had. He sagged over Maya, shoulders seemingly more heavy than before, hair falling over his glasses as he gave a few more weak, halfhearted thrusts into the siren, emptying himself into her dazedly. Maya could feel his cock throbbing with each ejaculation, the rush of fluids causing her to shudder pleasingly. She should have been furious. She really should have been. He didn't even have the decency to ask if he could cum inside her. But in that moment she didn't care. She was far too wrapped up in the glorious feeling of after sex bliss. She felt full and pleasured, her muscles tired and her head fuzzy as she came down off her high.

Jack spoke no words to her as he panted into her neck, leaning hard on his elbows as Maya continued to stroke through his luscious brown locks. Finally after what seemed like an eternity Jack seemed to find his strength and lifted up off Maya's body, pressing his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. He sighed out slowly as he pulled his softening cock from the sirens folds, his finish leaking from her abused opening and onto the tablecloth. Maya groaned out at as the feeling of fullness left her and rested her arms lazily above her head. The sunlight warmed over her nude form, lapping at her body with its gorgeous rays. She soaked in the moment lustfully. Moments like these were not so easy to come by, not on this planet of harsh wonders. Maya made a pleased noise and rubbed her ankles together, scratching an itch wontonly.

Jack watched her with pleased, tired eyes as he repacked himself into his jeans and redid the catches slowly.

Maya could feel Jack's strong arms encircling around her, lifting her from the table, carrying her away, leaving her robe behind. She didn't much care. Let him take her where he would. Let him do with her what he would. She was in too deep of a euphoric state to much care.

Jack sunk backward into one of the plush couches in the sitting area and Maya settled her head onto the flat of his chest. Jack let his head fall backward onto the couch arm exhaustion settling over him like a drug.

Maya nestled against him, completely content with the silence and the closeness. She wasn't sure which was more of a rarity, Jack's absence of words, or her not minding the after sex cuddling. She fisted her fingers into his wrinkled yellow shirt and breathed out sleepily. The moment called for a nap, and she did not much care about anything else. Her body was tired and she just wanted to sleep. Even if it meant curled like some domesticated animal on top of the Hyperion CEO. Her eyes flicked up to Jack's face in curiosity. His eyes were already closed behind his black rimmed reading glasses, his chest rising and falling slowly, little sounds of slumber slipping from his barely parted lips. She smiled smally and closed her own heavy eyes. The moment was too good not to savor...and so she just let it be. Against all the rules she had set for herself, and she did not care.


	5. Guilty Conscience

Heyo! Just wanted to pop in and say thanks for the reviews on this story! :D I am glad people are liking it already since this is sort of my experimental child story. Also to respond to a few reviews, I must apologize for how slow I am at getting chapters out for these stories. I'm a full time college student, wife and I also run my own business so a lot of time my life is absolutely nuts. Which doesn't leave me much time for writing fan fiction unfortunately. I do what I can to get these chapters out as fast as possible, but a lot of times it's hard. Which is why sometimes there are months between updates! So apologies for that, I do what I can with the time I have :)

Guilty Conscience

The night was black as ebony, the moon shrouded in heavy clouds that lingered in the sky. The stars did not shimmer through to the landscape of Pandora tonight. It was black, black and empty and still. There was not a breath of wind or a whisper of sound. The gentle hum of the car's engine surrounded Maya's senses, lulling her into an easy, relaxed state. Maya watched the black dirt road streaming in front of the hood of the vehicle. The siren shifted in the leather seat beneath her, relishing in the feeling of the expensive materials. She wanted to savor every last second surrounded by the finer of things. She sighed out lowly. She hated to admit she wasn't exactly ready to go back to the cold showers, questionable meals and hard mattresses that were waiting for her back in Sanctuary. She hated that she even so much as felt that way. Opportunity had spoiled and corrupted her. She hated herself for allowing that. But in the same sense she did not regret it. She didn't regret the lavishing shower, the golden bedding, the lustfully self indulgent sex. She didn't regret it, she only wished she didn't want it as much as she did. She thought this time would scratch the itch, but all it had done...was make her want it more than ever. It only made her stomach sink with the almost sad feeling of having to return to Crimson Raider's headquarters.

The breaks of the jet black mechanical beast came to a halt in the dry earth. Tires still on the ground. The shifter was pushed into park by her counterpart's large palm and silence settled over the cab of the vehicle. The silence was heavy and awkward. Like neither party knew what to really say. Maya ran her hand through her hair and let her grey orbs wander over to the passenger side. Jack was observing her with longing eyes, his back pressed into the seat, his head tilted slightly.

Maya growled.

She hated it when he looked at her like that. That wanting look that spoke all the infatuation he had, and without a word begged her not to go. His eyes darted over her silent form, questioning her, pleading to her. She huffed out in an annoyed fashion.

"Thanks for the lay as always Jack." Maya said flatly as she pushed the passenger side door open and hauled herself from the cab of the vehicle.

Jack frowned at her deadpan sentence. It answered nothing and left a lot to be desired. The siren treated these meet up like business arrangements. They were only in this for the sex. They would fuck, then go about their normal days once more like nothing had happened. Maya did not attach herself to anybody, and she was not about to start up a habit of it. Jack could almost swear sometimes she cared more about him than just a causal fuck...but it was moments like these that made him second guess that assumption. Part of him wanted her to think of him as more. But he would never dare say such things out loud. So the siren remained a passing thing, coming and going like pandoran rain. When she did come she never stayed for quite long enough. She never brought enough with her to ease his pain, to quench his thirst, and so he was still left behind as barren dry earth begging for moisture. She was a wild thing, and wild she would stay. As harsh as Pandora herself. She was a tough girl. Hardened by betrayal, and a rotten planet. If she had only come her later, after Jack had reached his goal of civilizing the disintegrating planet...maybe he could have saved her from becoming such a harsh, unforgiving thing. But there was nothing to be done of that. Things were the way they were, and that was that. The blue haired woman hauled her rocket launcher out of the back seat and adjusted it against her thin frame. She was so slender to be hauling such a heavy weapon. So feminine to be so brutal. It only made her that much more desirable in the CEO's eyes. Maya stood next to the gently purring vehicle for a moment, crossing her arms slowly. Jack let loose of a disappointed sigh and traced Maya's form with softening eyes.

"Don't make me wait so long to see you next time kiddo..." Jack breathed his orbs settling on Maya's unamused face.

Maya made a little grunt in her throat, slammed the door and turned heel into the night, leaving Jack sitting there with only the company of the running engine. He watched her go, unable to stop her and unable to convince her to stay. He had the entire planet under his reign and yet...he did not have her. That fact only caused him to gravitate toward her with more intensity. She was a glorious planet and he was but a moon caught in her pull, left only to rotate around her and have her when she would allow. It was painful and filling all at the same time. The moments he could have her were so few, and did not fill the entire void that was there.

Her figure disappeared off into the distant night, swallowed up by the darkness as she went. Jack shook his head in dismay. He was utterly useless against the desire for that damned bandit. He pushed the car into drive almost too roughly and pushed the gas, whirring the tires against the soft sand, and with a roar of the great engine he began his trek back to the grand city. Maya paused at the top of the hill, peering down the landscape, watching the headlights grow fainter as they raced away. She felt a pang of guilt wash over her as she rested too long on the thought of the disappointment in Jack's face when she'd been so cold to him. She hadn't really meant to be so harsh toward the man. She just didn't know how else to be around him. Despite what happened between them, he was still the enemy. At least that was what she was determined to convince herself of. He would always be the villain. He would always be the madman who was out to burn this planet to the ground. He would always be the crazed dictator. He would always be the monster with the perfect hair and mismatched eyes. He would always be the devil.

Maya swallowed hard.

Then why did she feel this way? Part of her wanted to think he was something more than all that. Pieces of her just wanted to know who he was behind everything he had built around him. Pieces of her wanted him on a deeper level than what she knew was right. Part of her wanted to fall...

Maya shook her head angrily.

No. Only the stupid and the very weak fall for anybody on this damned planet. There was nothing here for her but an occasional luxury. That was it. A good lay, warm water and good food. It was just a little self indulgent escape and that was all it would ever fucking be. She snorted and approached the lonely little fast travel.

Her body reconfigured in the small glass room located right smack dab in the middle of Sanctuary. The motion instantly left Maya feeling over worked and a little nauseated. Fuck she hated using those damned things. They were more effort than they were really worth. Maya collected herself shakily, trying to get her bearings leaning hard on the nearest walls. The sickly feeling of all the movement finally passed and Maya pressed herself onward. She knew she had to get back to headquarters. She didn't want the others thinking something had happened to her or whatever. Maya strode through town, ignoring the passing glances from the Sanctuary citizens. They looked at her like she was some sort of goddess come down from another universe. Like she was some otherworldly thing that could save them or destroy them in mere seconds flat. Most days she just tried to ignore the glances and stares their tiny glinting eyes peering at her in the dim lamplight. They annoyed her more than they flattered her in all reality. Maya's feet padded the dusty earth of the Sanctuary streets. There were no fine cemented walkways here like in the grand city of Opportunity. There were no grand eating establishments lining the roads, no vendors selling all sorts of oddities and trinkets...mostly Handsome Jack paraphernalia. Maya felt her heart flop at the thought of his name. She gritted her teeth together in annoyance. She hated that here she was miles away from him, left him and his stupid city behind, and yet he was still worming his way into her thoughts. It was like she just couldn't get away from the pompous asshole. Maya shook the thoughts from her head irritably. She had to get her mind off of him. Maya pushed open the headquarters door only to be met by curious, beady little eyes in the darkness of the room.

"AYE! Chica you are alive!" Came Salvador's booming voice.

Maya cringed a little at the explosion from the short, odd little man but managed to to give him a meek little smile addressing his obvious concern for her wellbeing.

"Of course, did you really think I was dead? C'mon Sal you know better than that." Maya snorted chuckling smally.

Salvador gave a hearty bout of laughter and clapped her on the back in a friendly manner.

"Well we were startin to wonder Chica! You said you'd be back yesterday! Roland was ready to send out the search party." Salvador said looking at the blue haired woman with concern in his small eyes.

Maya shrugged.

"I just got caught up in the mission I was doing, and I was too tired to get my ass back here. I just made a camp and called it a night. No big deal." Maya said shortly.

Salvador gave her a little frown in response.

"Well you better go tell Roland that. He's upstairs." Salvador muttered lowly.

"You know how he gets about those things." He added giving her a little grimace.

Maya nodded and headed up the stairs, leaving the short, awkward little gunzerker in the living area of the headquarters.

Maya could hear voices upstairs as she approached, her footsteps getting slower and more reluctant as she went.

She had a sinking feeling that Roland and the others would certainly not be pleased with her.

She could hear voices overhead as she climbed, becoming louder and more apparent as she went. The siren rounded the corner reluctantly only to be met by several sets of glowering eyes around the large table set in the middle of the room. There were instantly feelings of relieved friends, and upset leaders upon her.

"Man girly we were just starting to get real worried about you!" Came Mordecai's easy, mellow voice from his slouched position on the worn couch at the back of the room.

The energy from the red haired siren and the leader of the Crimson Raider's was not as friendly as the drunken sniper's.

"Well thanks for letting us know you hadn't been stripped bare by bandits out in the dust or something." Lilith snarled approaching the other siren angrily.

Maya felt her back stiffen with the closeness of the more powerful siren. She gritted her teeth together hard and locked eyes with the red haired woman. Her grey eyes met with glowering yellow and the stare down seemed to shake apart bone and flesh, causing the hairs on the back of Maya's neck to stand on end. Lilith was the only other siren that Maya had ever come across...it would be her luck that she absolutely despised the other female. Lilith cocked her head to the side in an annoyed fashion at the other siren's lack of commentary.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I miss my curfew?" Maya snarked bringing her hands to her thin hips.

Lilith recoiled at the comment, the corner of her lip twisting up into a half snarl.

"Don't cop an attitude with me. It's your duty to let your teammates know you aren't in danger." Lilith growled huffing out and turning away from the younger siren.

Maya opened her mouth so fire off more attitude to the other woman when Roland's gruff voice cut her off.

"She's right Maya. I know you are a strong fighter, but when going on missions by yourself it is important we know your location at all times." Roland said rounding the table. His tone sounded just like a father scolding a small child that had done wrong. Maya hated that shit. If there was anything in the world she absolutely could not stand...it was being treated like a child. Maya made eye contact with the solider, an unpleasant taste creeping along her tongue.

"You being a siren only makes that duty more important. For all we knew you could have been captured by Jack. If you were to fall into his hands you know how much of a catastrophe that could be." Roland pushed sighing and trying to be gentle with the siren.

Maya felt her breath hitch in her throat. God if only he knew. The slight pinch of guilt swam over her as she stood there before Roland. If only he knew just how close he'd come with that statement...only she hadn't been captured, she'd gone willingly into the arms of the enemy. She'd climbed into his bed like a little traitor of a slut. Maya felt the blood rush out of her face. She hated herself for doing this again. Standing here in the soldier's face, lying to him so easily. If they knew they would rip her limb from limb. When she was there in his bed, wrapped in those arms, it hadn't felt so wrong, but here, now, in crimson raider headquarters, surrounded by motivational posters stating "Fight back!" she had never felt more sick with herself. Maya's eyes downcast to her dirty, blood caked boots.

"I know Roland. I'm really sorry. I just got caught up in the mission." Maya whispered feebly.

She couldn't help but to let the guilt creep into her voice. It just happened without her consent. Roland sighed and crossed his arms casually.

"I know Maya. But you are a very important asset to the Crimson Raiders. Just be more careful, we had no choice but to assume the worst, after you had told us you would return last night." Roland breathed out slowly.

Maya nodded.

"Well I'm fine. I'll make sure to stay in better contact next time." Maya said quietly.

She felt so small underneath Roland's scrutinizing glare.

"It's ok. I was just worried about you. You look exhausted, get a shower, and some food, Brick just fixed some casserole earlier, there should still be some warmed in the kitchen." Roland offered the small offering kindly.

Maya smiled smally and nodded before turning heel and heading back downstairs to the living area. She pushed through several doors, finally leading to the large, open kitchen. Axton sat leaned back at the dining room table, accompanied by Zero and Brick.

Axton popped a million dollar smile in her direction and let his chair fall forward back onto all four legs.

"Hey Maya! You back from you're little vacation?" Axton teased cheerily.

Maya smiled kindly in return.

"Yeah. Right. If getting my ass kicked all across Pandora by Badass Varkids counts as a vacation than yeah, it was just like a five star cruise." Maya chuckled rolling her eyes dramatically and heading toward the kitchen to fix herself a small plate.

She wasn't exactly hungry, having nearly stuffed herself with dishes she could hardly even pronounce for most the day, but she did not want to hurt Brick's feelings. He was proud of his cooking and he knew the siren had an untamable appetite. She wasn't about to disappoint him.

Maya grabbed a chipped plate from the cupboard and slowly spooned some of the casserole onto it.

"This looks delicious Brick." She complemented kindly, resting her hand on Brick's massive shoulder.

Brick smiled at her genuinely.

Axton thumbed a deck of cards through his fingers, bending them and shuffling them with a whir of paper against palm. He cut the deck and snugged them in with each other once more then repeated the motion.

"You want me to deal you in sweetheart?" Axton offered giving the siren a lopsided grin.

Maya smiled but shook her head.

"Thanks Ax...but I think I'm just gunna take my plate and eat in my room. I'm exhausted." Maya said breathing out lowly.

The commando nodded understandingly.

"Get yourself some rest then. Glad you're back safe and sound too by the way." The gruff man said dealing to the two other men huddling around the small rickety little table.

Maya nodded, offered him one last little smile and then was gone down the hallway. Her footsteps felt heavy and exhausted. Normally she would have been all for playing a couple of hands of poker and wiping the floor with the other guys, but not tonight. Tonight her body felt like an old rug that had been taken out and beaten. She was just mentally drained. This was entirely too much guilt to swallow in just one night. The Siren prodded open the creaky door to her room with a squeal of worn hinges. The room did not contain much. Just a small cot pushed to the corner of the room, no windows, a small desk with a lamp that was finicky at best. There was a connecting door leading to a small bathroom that contained a lopsided sink, a stand in shower and a meager little toilet. The sorry excuse for a rug was worn thin, nearly down to the boards of the floor. It wasn't much...but she supposed it was some sort of home. Though it did not feel very welcoming to her now. Not with the guilt of betraying her allegiance's again hanging like a dark rain cloud over her head. Maya groaned out and began un-arming herself with pained, tired movements. She clunked her heavy launcher against the wall, slid her belt containing her class mod, relics, shields and grenades off her hips, letting it plunk onto the wood of the little desk. The sniper rifle came next, followed by her SMG, her pack, and finally her Hyperion pistol. She held it for longer than a moment, just touching over the deadly work of art. She allowed herself to sink backward onto the bed, gun still in hand, observing it with softening eyes. The weapon was very much like the man that had given it to her in the first place. It was a deadly, gorgeous, work of art. Jack was one in the same. She could never really wrap her brain around why he came off that way to her. Hell the man had tried to murder her as soon as she had set foot on this damned planet, so why...why in the fucking world had her stupid little brain chosen to become attracted to _him. _Maya laid the pistol down on her bedside table gingerly. She was so daft for doing this again. She couldn't do this to herself again. Her guilty conscience was going to eat her alive one of these days. It happened every time she started the back hill slide into her addiction. She had done so good. Two whole months she'd gone without, convincing herself she did not need it...did not need him. Yet she just went right back again...and this time _stayed_ with him. The siren pressed her hands to her eyelids and shook her head. She was loosing it. Nothing about this could possibly turn out good in the end. She needed to just quit this before it got too far. Where was it going anyway? It wasn't like she was about to shack up with Handsome Jack and call him her boyfriend. Hell no. That was not how things fucking worked on this planet. She was a vault hunter, he was the Hyperion CEO. They did not belong together and these occasional weak bouts that she was going through were going to get her killed. Maya irritably kicked her boots off, letting the heavy footwear clunk to the floor hard, chunks of mud coming loose and sprinkling over the floorboards. She shimmied off her combat pants feeling their crisp, clean nature underneath her fingertips. Jack had, had her uniform completely washed and pampered while she had fallen asleep. When she had gone to leave the items of clothing had been folded and stacked all ready for her and smelling like clean laundry. Maya threw them on the foot of the bed. She just wanted to stop thinking about him, and yet everything reminded her of the prick. She pulled her uniform top up off her body, leaving herself absent of all clothing. She couldn't make a habit of sleeping in any other way but naked. It was hot on Pandora, and the air conditioning unit in the headquarters struggled with keeping this place cool. It was either sleep naked, or sweat your ass off the whole night. Maya plunked down onto the small cot. It definitely was not Jack's stupid, ridiculously comfortable, Opportunity bed...that was for sure. It was sagged, and lumpy, but it was hers and it would just have to do for the night. At least sleeping in this little thing wouldn't haunt her with guilt the next morning. She clutched the faded sheets around her slim body and nestled down into the overused pillow. She breathed out slowly, trying to allow herself to relax, but the task came harder than she'd bargained for. The bed felt small, and half empty compared to the one she'd relished in the night previous. There was no warm other body there to accompany her and there would be no waking up to conversation and grand breakfast. She would not admit out loud this looming fact disappointed her just a tad bit. She laid there in the darkness trying to force sleep to come, and after what felt like hours she finally drifted off to sleep.


	6. Out To Lunch

Out to Lunch

Two Weeks Later:

Maya sat with her knee pulled up and tucked underneath her chin, resting on it in a relaxed sort of fashion. Her sniper rifle lolled in front of her, barrel sagging as she rested it against the boulder in front of her. She watched the sky with unamused eyes, a few Rakks circled lazily overhead calling out to each other in a lonely, lost sort of way. Maya peered through the scope of the rifle, leaning into the gun gently. A lone bullymong wandered over the frozen wasteland clumsily digging in the snow searching for a possible meal. Maya settled the gun's sight on it's little head and pulled the trigger, the shot ringing out over the cavernous tundra of ice shelfs and cliffs. The beast gave a loud cry and fell to the ice, fingers still twitching uselessly, the snow now painted red with warm blood. The circling Rakk almost immediately honed in on the fresh kill and moved their slow circle down over the fallen animal. They swarmed over it like a mass of black blankets, leathery wings tucked to their bodies as they picked the fresh carcass apart. Maya smirked. She was much obliged to give them a free lunch. She fucking hated bullymongs. Just a bunch of great apes with bad attitudes and too many damned arms. The siren pulled her leather jacket around her tighter, the bullymong fur lined hood tickling at her neck and ears. The jacket hugged around her form perfectly, it's subtle tanned colored material was soft and well made. She supposed it was leather made from Stalker skin, at least thats what she thought he'd said it was. Maya swallowed. The jacket had been yet another gift Jack had showered her with during one of their times together. She didn't really like to admit out loud how much she actually appreciated the weird tokens of affection. The man had class, and money, which was the perfect recipe for grand gifts. It didn't help that he actually put thought into them. They were always things she could use during her missions. The leather crinkled as Maya relaxed her arms from the rifle. The jacket was exceptional at keeping the biting cold of The Southern Shelf out of her bones. She sighed out slowly. She hadn't even come out here on a mission really. She'd just needed time to be alone. Crimson Raider headquarters had been on edge lately after a few men got killed trying to take down one of Jack's eridium mines. Things had not worked in the Crimson Raider's favor and headquarters had been highly stressful for the past week. It was just too much for her to handle and she needed the time away. She knew it wasn't the best approach to things...but at this point she didn't much care. She should be helping Roland with the men's deaths and she should be listening to the new plans she was sure he was working out. But she couldn't really find it in herself to care. Those mines were heavily guarded and well organized. They should have known better than to try and take it out. But she would never dare say that around Roland or his little ill tempered girlfriend. She grimaced at the thought. Lilith had been riding her ass relentlessly after Maya's little disappearing stunt.

"Siren's are the most powerful force on the planet, it's your duty to act accordingly." Maya said out loud mimicking Lilith's snarky tone.

Maya stood up, acting out Lilith's body movements childishly. She left her rifle sitting idle as she stormed around, swaying her hips ridiculously.

"I'm Lilith and I'm the most powerful Siren, so I get to be a total cunt to everybody and get away with it!" Maya proclaimed in a nasally mocking tone.

"Oh and I'm also fucking Roland so that makes me extra god damned special! Better listen to me or I'll tattle to my boyfriend and get you in hot water because he's the leader of this shin dig!" Maya continued the little show for herself, waving her hands dramatically and chortling in the most annoying laugh she could muster.

"Maybe I need to get laid every once and a while so I won't be such a gigantic, raging bitch all the time!" Maya snorted making herself laugh harder and harder with the little charade.

"Maybe I need to take it up the ass more often and then-" Maya began but was cut off by her Echo device crackling to life.

"I have to say your impressions are really spot on kiddo." Came a chuckle across the device.

Maya nearly jumped out of her skin at the suddenness of the echo call. Her cheeks immediately went bright red realizing how absolutely absurd she must seem.

Maya plunked down on the boulder once more embarrassed with herself.

"Thanks." She muttered irritably.

Jack's honied, throaty laugh chortled across the echo net in amusement.

"Oh c'mon cupcake, I didn't mean to interrupt! Please do continue I really was enjoying the show." Jack teased cheekily.

Maya furrowed her eyebrows together irritably and kicked at a small snow drift.

"Oh shut the hell up." Maya snarled pursing her lips.

Jack snorted on the other end of the echo.

"Don't be like that pumpkin. I really was rather enjoying it. I mean I'd like to say I hate all you bandits rather equally...but oh...that Lilith has an extra special little place on my 'who I'm going to kill first' list. Let's just say she's near the top. Like the very top." Jack chuckled lowly.

"Glad I'm not the only one." Maya snarled shifting on her boulder turned into sitting utensil.

"I'll make sure I kill her nice and slow, just for you kiddo." Jack taunted wickedly.

It would have been funny, if it weren't for the fact that she pretty much knew it wasn't exactly a joke. Jack did not joke about killing people.

"Why am I even talking to you about this? I don't have time for this today Jack, I'm busy." Maya growled motioning to turn the device off.

"Yeah because you really are busy picking off defenseless bullymongs for shits and giggles. Please forgive me for the interruption. How dare I take you away from such pressing matters cupcake. Please accept my most humble of apologies" Jack said sarcastically.

Maya could nearly hear him rolling his eyes as he spoke and it roused deep set annoyance in her gut. God the guy really had a way with getting under her skin in seconds flat.

"Bye Jack." Maya snarled moving to click the echo off.

"Ah, tut, tut, tut, wait, wait, wait! As much as I loved your Lilith impression, that's not why I'm echoing you kiddo." Jack interjected and Maya dropped her hand to her side sighing out in an annoyed fashion.

"Well what do you want asshole?" Maya barked through girt teeth.

There was a slow pause over the echo net.

"You free for lunch sweet cheeks?" Jack cooed through the machine sweetly.

Maya furrowed her eyes and stared down at the device in a questionable fashion.

"Depends." She snarled back.

"Well, I had business out here in Liar's Burg...you know...dumping all the bodies I uh...did in over the week..but uh...yeah, yeah, yeah that's beside the point. Since you were in the area, I thought I'd ask you to lunch kiddo." Jack explained his voice dipping smoothly.

Maya snorted out louder than she'd really meant to.

"Like what? A date? Is Handsome Jack asking _me_ on a date?" Maya chortled shortly.

"No. I'm asking you to lunch. Like you know, friendly acquaintances do every once and a while. We actually sit down to lunch, talk about the weather, laugh a little. We aren't all bandits who'd rather beat their fellows over the head and cook THEM for lunch." Jack growled his voice dripping in displeasure that the Siren had _laughed _at his offering.

"So does lunch actually mean _lunch _or does it mean you're in desperate need of getting your dick wet?" Maya snorted.

"Take it whichever way you will. Just take it as a standing offer kiddo. It's a little inn outside of Liar's Berg, can't miss it. Come or don't come, your choice pumpkin. Chow." Jack replied, his tone clipped and annoyed.

Maya could tell she'd pissed him off and frankly she didn't really care. Asking her to lunch. How ridiculous. What were they exclusive now and she'd missed the memo? She told herself he was just fucking horny and needed a lay, but his approach was far from the norm. These things were supposed to be quick, messy and to the point. So why was Jack suddenly trying to push...more...friendly shit on her? She rolled her eyes. The guy was a nut, there was no telling the intentions behind his actions, she best not try too hard to decipher them.

Maya hauled her sniper rifled up onto her back and peered down at the frozen wasteland stretched out before her like some lazing animal. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. She shouldn't go. But then again she shouldn't have gone the first time to meet him. Or the second time, or the third, or the now uncounted many other times. She didn't want to count any more. That just weighed on her conscience even heavier. She breathed in deep, the cold air frigid and painful as it went down her throat and invaded her lungs. She'd been out here for far too long, as if trying to soothe away all the ache of the week away with the bitter cold. She didn't really mind the chilled landscape. This was a good place for thoughts to bloom and come to life. This was a good place to find oneself after being lost. This was a good place to just exist, to just escape, to just...be. The siren drew in a deep, long breath. She was hungry, and frankly the cold was starting to seep into her gloved fingers and toes. The offer of lunch was enticing to say the least. The offer of Jack's company was even more so. Maya pulled a massive bullymong skin off the boulder next to her and flung it over herself, draping it around her like a new skin. She'd found this little charade to be an excellent way of getting around bullymongs without risking getting beat to shit. The beasts were too stupid to see through the disguise and it allowed Maya somewhat quiet, peaceful passage through the tundras. It sure as hell made traveling around here easier. She stood there, all her heavy gear clinging to her like medals of honor, the animal skin hugged around her like some wild thing of the tundra. Like an animal that belonged here. Maybe she was. She felt more animal than human these days. Going against her friends, people that could pretty much be considered her only family on this god forsaken planet. Keeping them in the dark as she played little games with the enemy. Secrets certainly did not make friends. But secrets sure did feel good. They filled her hungry soul like nourishment she had been long starved for. She couldn't help herself but to taste it, as wrong as it was, she swallowed and swallowed...not because she wanted it anymore...but because she needed it.

Maya's heavy boots dragged through the snow, kicking it aside like heavy hooves. The world was dark outside her heavy goggles she wore to keep the glare from the white landscape out of her cold, grey eyes. The snow was falling harder than earlier, blowing in quick, frantic little flurries, the wind licking at her back like a starving thing begging for food. It nipped at her heels like wolves, baring and biting, trying to claw their way through her layers of clothing and fur. She could just barely see the neon sign tucked back against the cliffside, nearly engulfed by the ice, dug into the cliff wall like a parasite. It was built of old, faded wood, much like everything else in Liars Berg. The town had long since been nearly abandoned by any sort of decent human beings. Good people didn't much like existing near Handsome Jack's dump site for bodies, trash and whatever else he needed to dispose of while wiping the planet clean. The iced over wasteland was good for that. A good place to leave the things you no longer wanted. A good place to leave the things you would rather forget. So Jack did, tossing the wastes of his murders and wars out in the ice to be forgotten under the snow. The town was now mostly inhabited by drifters and outlaws that needed a place to stay for the night before moving on through the cold landscape. It was a road stop really, nothing more. Maya approached the wooden building, her head tilted upward reading the illuminated sign. "Beer, Food, Rooms." was all the sign read. Maya wasn't even sure if that was a name for the place, or a simple declaration that they did in fact have beer, food and places to stay the night. She supposed you didn't really need a name out here to rope in customers. You just needed to cover to bases of the important stuff. Booze, nourishment and shelter. It made sense. Below the first sign hung a meager little paper sign taped to the window that read "closed". Maya scrunched up her nose. Closed? Her ass it was closed. She didn't come all this way for this to be a false invitation.

She shrugged and pressed forward grabbing the heavy door handle and flinging it open with a great tug. She stood in the doorway like something straight out of a nightmare, her deformed silhouette casting a great shadow on the wooden floor of the old bar. The bartender looked up with terror in his eyes as the creature let the door slam behind it, pausing with his hand dipped into a glass, wiping it clean with a worn towel. His eyes wavered as they settled over the unknown thing, unsure if he should be grabbing his shotgun beneath the bar or not. Maya pushed the hood of the bullymong skin off her head and shook her hair free of snow. The bartender sighed out with relief and set the heavy glass down on the counter, thankful the new customer was human, and not some deformed were-bullymong come straight out of a horror flick. Maya stood for a moment, chilled eyes observing the establishment. It was completely empty, except for the bar keep. It was just her, and him. Maya frowned. This was literally the only bar even remotely near Liars Berg. She couldn't have gotten the wrong place...could she? Or maybe Jack had just stood her up. Maybe he was cross with her laughing at his extended invitation and decided not to show up. Maya felt her gut twist. She really hoped that wasn't the case. She'd built herself up the entire trek here...his absence would be a let down to say the least. Her eyes collided with the bar tender and in a few paces she was crossing the room toward him. She did not take off her dark lensed goggles, even in the dully lit space, she would not risk the bar keep recognizing her.

Her boots thunked the floor in a hard, heavy pace as she crossed the room. She swayed with utter intimidation, head held high and proud as she stalked across to him. She slammed her palm down on the counter and peered at the chubby, middle aged man, from behind the dark glass of her lenses.

"Miss, I hate to be this way, but the sign says closed." The man whispered his voice shaky as it came to him.

"I can read just fine. I'm supposed to be meeting someone here." Maya snarled through her teeth.

The man's eyes seemed to shift a little.

"Oh...OH. Ma'm we were expecting you. Head down that hall, last room on the left." The man whispered lowly.

Maya backed off the counter slowly and snorted in response.

She turned and thudded off down the hallway loudly, leaving a trail of melting snow and mud in her wake. She treaded down the long hallway only to be met by the scrutinizing gaze of two Hyperion guards, dressed to the hilt in full combat uniform, both holding Hyperion weapons at the ready. They stood like pillars on either side of the door frame, still and silent. There was an unsaid stare down between the blue haired siren and the two men, no words spoken, just glares from either party. After moments of silence settled over the three of them, the two men put their guns at ease and motioned she was free to pass. Maya simply pushed past, opening the heavy oaken door and letting it yawn open grandly. It slammed behind her with a flurry of loosened snow from the fur she wore. The orange glow of a raging fire in the stone place to her left warmed her almost instantly, the vibrant flames well fed with fat, crackling logs. The siren's eyes crossed the room slowly, finally settling on by far the most interesting thing occupying the space. He was leaned back in a cushioned chair casually, one leg propped up on his thigh, heavy boot resting lazily there. He gently rocked a small glass of amber liquid in his fingertips and watched it as if it were the most interesting thing his eyes had ever fallen upon. Slowly, ever so slowly, his mismatched glowering orbs drifting over the new found company in the small room. A lazy, gleaming, teasing grin followed shortly behind his warming gaze. Maya stood in the entry way cautiously, habitually on edge in the presence of the powerful man. Jack raised one thin, perfect eyebrow and chuckled lowly, bringing the glass to his lips only to suckle a small drink off its rim.

"So...was this a costume party and I wasn't informed? Oh I am so embarrassed kiddo." Jack lulled, a ghost of a laugh trailing the sentence.

Maya snorted in return and pushed her goggles up over her head, sweeping back her blue bangs messily.

"It keeps the bullymongs from attacking my back." Maya snarled irritably as she untied the fur and hung it on a hook at the door.

The goggles followed behind, as did the sniper rifle on her back. Maya crossed the room loudly, her demeanor proud and unshakable, even in the presence of the Hyperion overlord. Jack watched her with intelligent, curious eyes over the top of his glass as he held it daintily. Maya eased herself down into the matching plush chair and shook some melting snow from the fur lining of her leather jacket.

Jack seemed extremely pleased to see her adorned in the gift he had graced upon her. The leather crinkled with her every dip and form, moving with her as she leaned her elbows on the heavy wood table. She thunked her boots on the floor, shaking off more mud with little concern for the fact that she was indoors. Jack simply watched her with interest.

"So, I was promised lunch." Maya said in a matter of fact sort of fashion, folding her arms over her chest and leaning back in her chair.

"So you were." Jack retorted.

"I believe we are ready for out meal." Jack called through the door and in seconds flat a scrawny little male was hurrying through the door bringing a tray full of fresh food.

He set the entourage or soup, bread, stew, cider and beer down on the heavy table, his movements hurried and fearful. With the food all set the man raced back out. Jack did not make a move toward the food, but instead continued to watch the siren. Maya avoided his eyes and dragged the heavy bowl of soup to her side of the table, accompanying it with a mug of cider. Maya brought the hot liquid to her lips, letting loose a pleased little sound as the taste and heat hit her taste buds. It warmed down her throat and settled in her belly pleasantly. She wasn't very sure what kind of soup it was, but it was good. Really good. She shouldn't have expected anything less really. Maya scooped more into her lips, slurping subtly, enthralled by the taste and the warmth. Finally Jack picked up his own spoon and joined Maya in consuming the soup. There was no sound between them now, only those of pleased eating and chewing. Maya could sense Jack's eyes watching her consistently and she did her best to ignore his prying gaze. She was fine with the silence settled over them. She did not mind the lack of conversation.

The flames crackled in the fire place, consuming the wood given hungrily, dancing within it's confined space. Maya sighed out at the warmth. The food was comforting and the warmth from the flames was even more so. The place was cozy, and a wondrous reprieve from the bitter cold outside. The wind howled at the walls of the small establishment, it was angry and fierce, as if knowing the wrong happening within the old walls. Maya listened to the sad cries of the swirling thing, crying out only to land on deaf ears. It seemed that a storm was blowing through like a wild thing, curling and twisting around itself. Maya was suddenly very thankful to be protected by the little bar's shelter. Here it was safe, and warm. Here in the confines of a little shack, out in a great big world, where the two unlikeliest of companions ate. Maya tipped the last bit of soup to her lips and swallowed it down greedily. She began on the stew next. She sighed out and began scooping small, thoughtful mouthfuls to her needing lips.

"You're very quiet siren. Highly unusual kitten." Jack whispered suddenly his teeth scraping off the metal spoon as he took another mouthful of the food.

Maya just shrugged.

"Usually all the talking is done by you, you know since you seem to like the sound of your own voice so much." Maya growled flatly.

Jack chuckled heartily and took a long swig of his hard drink.

"Always have a witty comeback huh kiddo?" Jack snorted lightly clinking the ice cubes together in his glass.

Maya just shrugged again and chewed the hearty stew slowly.

"I thought you said you wouldn't make me wait long before seeing you again cupcake." Jack whispered suddenly, his eyes narrowing over Maya's form.

Maya glared back.

"Two weeks is not a long time." Maya snapped.

Jack hummed in his throat.

"I say it is." Jack groaned darkly.

"I say you're just being a needy, spoiled, brat because you can't always have what you want, when you want it." Maya snarled over her spoon full of stew.

Jack's eyes darkened at the insult, searching over Maya's cold grey eyes diligently.

"Do you think it's wise to talk to Handsome Jack like that kiddo?" Jack hissed observing his drink slowly tilting it back and forth before bringing it to his thin lips.

"Probably not." Maya admitted chewing her food slowly.

A grin tugged at the corner of Jack's lips.

"Maybe I am a needy, spoiled, brat...but you are a bitter, stubborn, mean spirited heathen." Jack chuckled looking at Maya with glowering fire behind his eyes.

Maya choked at the comment and gritted her teeth at the male on the other side of the table.

"Oh so were doing insults now? Like five year olds?" Maya snarled taking a long swig of her cider.

"I tried flattery, you didn't seem to take to it. I'm left with no choice but to resort to insults pumpkin." Jack snarked teasingly, his mouth tilted into a wicked, shit eating grin.

Maya shot him a displeased glare.

"I don't like insults either." Maya growled shortly.

"Well kiddo, then what _do _you like?" Jack taunted tilting his head curiously.

"I like food and silence." Maya snapped savagely.

Jack laughed maliciously, the sound deep in his throat.

"Oh Maya, Maya, Maya...don't be like that." Jack taunted wagging a finger at the siren coyly.

"It's warm, we are surrounded by good food and good company, so why are you being so bitter, sweet cheeks?" Jack pouted.

"You call yourself good company?" Maya snorted.

Jack grinned widely at her.

"I dunno, you seem to think so cupcake, or else you wouldn't keep coming back." Jack hissed wryly.

Maya felt herself burn red with anger, the emotion burning deep in her gut. Jack cocked an eyebrow, waiting for a response from the siren, and grinned wider when one did not come.

"Nothing to say to that Siren?" Jack swooned smoothly, refilling his glass slowly.

"I come back because you can fuck and you can feed me. Win win for me." Maya snarled shortly.

That was not the reason she came back again and again. She did not do this out of sole need and survival. She could get sex elsewhere, she could get food elsewhere. But she could not get Handsome Jack elsewhere. The man with the poison smile and the masked face and the laugh like wind chimes in the breeze. The lie was weak as it passed her lips. Weak and stupid.

"If you say so kiddo." Jack whispered lowly.

Maya merely frowned.

"Well, you've gotten your food. What about your good fuck?" Jack cooed stretching back in his chair and cocking his head.

Maya nearly choked on her cider as she downed it, her cheeks flushing white hot with color.

Jack jingled the ice in his glass and unfolded his long legs, planting his shoes firmly on the wooden floor, spread wide and proud. He patted the top of his spread thigh and tilted his chin back slightly.

"Why don't you come sit on Handsome Jack's lap kitten?" He cooed to her grinning tauntingly.

Maya looked down at her stew, then to Jack's open legs, then back again. She swallowed hard, feeling her throat flex around the action. Jack's eyes bore into her fiercely, dark, malicious and powerful. He tilted his head back a little, eyes mere slits as the settled on her.

Finally after a long, frozen moment, Maya gathered herself. She shouldn't...but she was going to. The weather outside was not getting any better, so why hurry away? Why not indulge? She wanted it. Fuck, she needed it. She wanted the monster of a man's warm touch down her body, she wanted him pressed against her, she just wanted _him. _The siren stood gracefully out of her chair, slowly rising to her feet. Her eyelashes fell dark and heavy over her eyes as she stood there momentarily. Jack watched with intensely captivated eyes. Maya drew the zipper of her jacket down, dragging it downward so very slowly. She shrugged it off he slim shoulders, allowing it to fall dramatically to the floor. Her fingers played to her pant's catches, undoing them skillfully, teasingly, one by one, coming undone. Jack ran his tongue over his bottom lip, wetting it gently as he watched the siren undress for him. It was painfully beautiful, causing his heart to instantly begin to thunder in his chest. Beating against his ribcage like a wild animal trying to get free. Maya clenched her pants in her fists and bundled the clothing downward, sliding it over her long, strong legs. The clothing pooled around her ankles daintily and with a small, graceful movement she stepped from them, closer to Jack, but just not close enough yet. Her torso armor was next, peeling up over her head slowly. The undressing was so slow and so graceful, it was an entrancing thing, watching such an unpredictable creature shed it's skin. Maya stood in just her meager black underwear, the thin material spread across her buttocks and dipping between her thighs, modestly censoring her from Jack's alluring eyes. She adorned no bra as Jack came to see, and the realization she'd never been wearing one roused him more than he'd expected. The siren stretched her arms up over her head, like a lithe creature working out the kinks in it's muscles, graceful and delectable. Her pert breasts stretched with the movement, round and healthy, successfully drawing out a whispered of a groan from the observing man. Maya grinned slyly, the firelight dancing over her partially nude form, casting gorgeous oranges and reds up her pale skin. Slowly she stalked toward the Hyperion overlord, her footsteps barely detectable as she padded across the old wooden floor. She stalked like a wild cat coming upon formidable prey. Knowing it would not be an easy fight, but coming anyway, because she was hungry...and she needed this. She sashayed toward Jack's inviting lap, hips swaying gently, the motion fluid and gorgeous. She was enough to reduce even the strongest of men into a useless little puddle of want and desire. Jack was not above her powers. He was quickly melting in the wake of her flames. Maya sprawled herself over Jack's open legs skillfully, spreading her legs willingly, just for him. Maya cupped Jack's jawline in her thin fingers and tilted his head back, her lips hovering mere centimeters from his.

"Like this Handsome _Jack?" _Maya whispered over his lips her voice dripping with lust and bad intentions.

A louder, more desperate moan slipped past Jack's lips. He hurriedly attempted to find the table to set his empty glass upon, fumbling blindly as Maya berated him with hot kisses up his neck and finally to his wanting lips. In the end he just successfully missed and the glass shattered to the floor, the broken pieces chiming as they hit and scattered. He didn't seem much to care. As soon as both his hands were free they were wrapping around the woman on top of him, fingertips pressing into the doughy flesh of her full rump. He massaged the muscle slowly, and the siren took the initiative to begin to rock her hips into Jack's ringing more deep, husky, moans from the CEO. His warm lips found the bud of her nipple, wrapping around the sensitive anatomy, the point of his tongue flicking over it pleasingly. Maya let a hiss pass through her gritted teeth, burying the side of her face in Jack's flushed neck. His tongue flattened over the small bud and Maya moaned into him, the sound rich and powerful as it crept up the back of Jack's neck. He breathed out shakily against the skin of her breast, his hands coming to cup them, press them together, and near bury his face in them.

"S-Son...of a t-taint..." He husked in stuttering little breaths as Maya moved against him, her parted legs pressed tight against his.

Maya could feel the tightness in his jeans as she ground into him, a sly little smile creeping across her lips. She sat backward a little, hands coming down Jack's heaving body to gently palm over the hard line squeezed between the material of his jeans and his thigh. He moaned out loudly as the contact was made, really loudly, his voice echoing off the walls of the little room.

Shit he was fucking loud, was all that crossed Maya's thoughts. She grimaced as she thought about the two guards at the door. There was no hiding what was going on in here anymore she supposed. Jack was never really good at being...subtle...anyway. He most likely got some sick satisfaction from his workers being able to hear him having it off with her. Gross, Maya thought rolling her eyes.

She threw the thoughts aside as she thumbed along the trail of Jack's cock, pressing against his trapped head teasingly. Jack stiffened a bit and jerked his hips upward, hissing out gasps and moans. Maya flicked her wrist fluidly, grasping him through his jeans, rubbing in all the right ways, touching exactly where she knew he wanted most. Jack's eyes fell slightly, heavy and lustful as he watched the siren stroke him through his clothes. The motion was enthralling. Maya did not let up in the motion, rubbing and stroking until Jack's hips were coming off his seat, begging her for more, desperate sounds coming from his parted lips. Suddenly Jack caught Maya's wrist, gripping it a little too tightly, curling his fingers around her forcefully, stopping her movements. Maya looked to the CEO curiously. He looked at her with wonton eyes, panting roughly.

"I-If you keep that up I'm going to cum in my fucking jeans..." Jack hissed in a near begging tone.

Maya chuckled and leaned into him, her lips nearly against his.

"Maybe I want to force the big, bad, CEO to make an utter mess of himself." Maya whispered hotly into his lips.

Jack's eyes fluttered closed and a weak moan slipped over his tongue. Suddenly he gathered the siren into his arms, picked her up and forced her down onto the massive bullymong fur rug occupying the flooring just in front of the fire place. Maya huffed out as her back settled into the plush fur, the soft strands ticking at her nearly nude form. Jack framed her dauntingly, his form much bigger than hers, his palms on either side of her shoulders. He kissed up her throat and instinctually she tilted her head back, elongating her neck, and allowing him to pamper the skin. Her fingers entwined in his hair tightly, nails scraping along his scalp. Maya lifted her hips into his pressing and teasing against the tight space of his groin. Jack hissed and paused in his journey up her throat.

"You know there is a bed right there?" Maya taunted her eyes flicking to the massive four poster bed just across the cozy little suite.

Jack chuckled into her.

"I don't want to fuck you on a bed. I want to fuck you right here. On the floor, like a couple of fucking animals kitten." Jack whispered his tone low and devious.

The sentence caused pleasant little tingles to run up Maya's nerves. God damn did he have a way with words,

Maya's hands came to his belt impatiently, and ripped the buckle open, it jingling loosely as it hung limp around his waist. She drew down his zipper and tugged at his hem, fingers hooking in his belt loops demandingly. Maya let out a frustrated noise when she couldn't quite get the material to come loose off his hips and Jack chuckled into her skin.

"Allow me cupcake." He husked lowly leaning onto his knees and gently pushing his jeans down around his thighs, letting his erection come free proudly.

Maya looked at him with deviously needing eyes. With that she pushed herself into a kneeling position, then was shoving Jack back into the floor, toppling him hard. He let loose a gasping breath as Maya knocked the wind out of him, her kisses frantic up his jaw. Her fingers tugged his jeans down farther, taking his boxers with them, until she had successfully stripped them from him. She threw them into a little pile on the floor with a weak little thunk of limp cloth.

"Take it _all_ off." Maya snarled against the hinge on his sharp chin.

Jack obliged without question, shrugging out of his layers, much slower than Maya would have liked, but all the same in the end she got what she wanted. Jack sprawled out, panting hard as he lay on the fur rug, chest rising and falling desperately. Maya was on him like a bad habit, hands running up his chest, fingers playing over every muscle, every dip, every curve. He was lean, and he was hard, and she could not get enough.

Jack's fingers curled in the black material of her panties.

"You should take those off kitten." Jack husked to her breathlessly.

"Why?" Maya taunted, faking stubbornness coyly.

"Because if you don't, I will, and I'm going to tear them, and you will be without underwear." Jack snarled viciously.

Maya chortled shortly and daintily wriggled herself out of the thin material, sliding it down her form, allowing it to stretch over her thighs.

Jack groaned in his throat thickly and dug his fingers into the flesh of Maya's thigh.

"Mmmm kiddo that's the stuff..." He moaned lowly.

Maya sat splayed across Jack's thighs, his proud cock bobbing in front of him dauntingly. She could smell his arousal in her nostrils. He smelled earthy, and needy and god she couldn't get enough of it. Maya leaned down over him, moving his legs apart so she could settle on her stomach between them. She grabbed the base of his cock and licked a long, slow, stripe up his underside. Jack bucked his hips and cried out involuntarily with the contact. Maya's eyes flicked up to his peevishly. His eyes were barely open as he peered down at her, mouth hanging slack as he panted out heaving breaths.

"Fucking suck it kiddo." Jack snarled grabbing her hair not so gently.

Maya smiled against his hardness and painfully slowly descended upon him. Jack gritted his teeth hard as her lips closed around him, her mouth hot and wet and _good. _Really good. She was talented in this. She knew just where to touch, just where to kiss, just how to suck, just how to flick her tongue. She could have him coming in mere minutes if she wanted to. Damn she could. But she wouldn't. She wanted him for longer than that. She would draw this out and enjoy it. Her palm came to stroke his sack, giving the anatomy the attention it had been missing and Jack moaned out throatily. She flicked her tongue along his slit, pressing against the bunched skin, sliding over his prick, coming away with the sharp taste of pre-cum. He tasted so raw and powerful, dripping with husky need. Maya wrapped a free hand around his base, stroking up and meeting with the rhythm of her mouth. Her pace was quick and mean successfully causing the Hyperion CEO to completely fall to pieces around her. His fingers twisted in her hair, baring her down on his cock with more urgency, causing Maya to choke and cough when he forced back into her throat. She gagged a little as he bucked up, taking little account for how big he was, and how small her mouth was. Maya could feel little tears prick at the corners of her eyes as she drew back on his length, desperately trying to shake the choking feeling. Jack's hips parted from the floor, desperate and needing. She could feel him swelling on her tongue, becoming fatter and harder with the closeness of his orgasm.

The expression on his face said it all. He was close, _dangerously _close.

Maya let his wet erection come free from the hot confines of her mouth and chuckled lightly.

"Not yet big boy." Maya whispered wryly.

Jack made a pained noise in his throat that was damn near a whimper and let his hips fall back onto the rug.

"F-Fuck Maya! C'mon!" Jack complained as his dick throbbed before him, frustration settling over him with the lack of attention.

Maya paused for a moment, allowing Jack's orgasm to ebb slightly before continuing. She stalked up his body, movements slow and calculated, eyes teasing and ever so mean. Jack was an utter mess beneath her, racked with the disappointment of not being able to quite get to his finish. With that Maya hovered her hips over him, grabbed him by his base and guided the first few inches of his length into her body. Jack threw his head back as Maya sunk down onto him, hissing loudly as he stretched her. She sat dormant for a moment, adjusting to the new intrusion, letting her body become accustomed to the girth. Jack's hands came to her hips, desperately trying to prod her for motion. Maya loved seeing him in such a disheveled state, deteriorating into a useless wreck, needing to finish so fucking badly. Finally, Maya anchored her palms on the CEO's chest and began to roll her hips forward, lifting up off his cock slowly, then sinking back onto it skillfully. Jack made a low sound in his throat and closed his eyes. Little beads of sweat collected at his hair line, the space below his mask an embarrassing red with flustered need. His feet shuffled across the rug as Maya carried out her painfully slow pace. She was toying with him. Toying and teasing and fuck he loved it.

His fingers tightened around her hip bones, thumbs pressing harshly into the skin.

"OH yes...fuck that's it..." Jack half moaned half whispered his voice rough as sandpaper as it fell from his lips.

Maya let loose a breathless moan, she couldn't help it, she was spiraling downward just as quickly as her partner. She pivoted her hips, pressing his thickness against where she needed it most. She threw back her head with the motion, warm sensations sparking through her like loose electricity. She thrust him into her quicker, her pace sloppy now. She was desperate for finish. She was no longer toying, she just needed it. She needed to come, to come undone, to unfold around him.

"JACK!" She cried uselessly, his name coming out like gasoline.

It burned her lips and seared her tongue.

"AGAIN! SAY IT AGAIN!" Jack bellowed snapping his hips up into hers desperately.

"JACK! OH JACK!" Maya damn near screamed as her fingers curled into the skin of his chest.

Orgasm washed over her like a breaking dam. The warm sensations spread through her like wild fire, her entrance squeezing and fluttering desperately around Jack's girth.

He clenched his teeth together and forced up into her hard, and then she could feel him pulsating within her.

Hard, strong cumshots jetting into her confines, filling her with a pleasing rushing sensation that caused her to shudder around her partner.

Jack let loose a pathetically relieved moan as he pumped into her weakly, ejaculations waning in power until his finish merely dribbled out into the siren.

Jack thunked his head back onto the floor tiredly, his hands falling to his sides as well. Maya collapsed on top of his heated, heaving chest and breathed out shakily. She didn't bother to separate herself from her lover, just allowing him to stay snugly sheathed inside of her as his erection slowly wilted.

Jack's eyes remained closed, his mouth open as he panted weakly.

"F-fuck..." Jack breathed softly, his hand coming up to droop over Maya's shoulders gently.

"That good huh?" Maya whispered against him breathlessly.

Jack simply nodded, unable to really find the words to answer her with.

After a good long while Jack's eyes opened and peered at the woman collapsed on top of him.

His eyes flicked up to the lone window on the other side of the room. The world outside was dark gray and angry, the wind and sleet pounding against the glass mercilessly. He furrowed his eyebrows together.

"That storm is starting to look pretty bad..." Jack commented tiredly.

Maya lifted up on her elbows and yanked her head around to get a look for herself. She paused for a moment. She knew damn well she wasn't going anywhere with a storm like that. She cursed under her breath.

"Looks like we're snowed in, huh kiddo?" Jack chuckled heartily.


	7. Truth or Dare

Truth or Dare

Maya sat on the edge of the large framed window hesitantly; echo device clutched in hand, a grim look creeping over her thin brows. She slides her thumb over the familiar form of the machine expelling a great breath of air. Her eyes flicked upward, looking past the now frosted window pane, slender fingers coming up to wipe a small hole in the in the chill allowing her to see out into the cold world. The wind beat itself against the side of the building like a confused thing angered with the world. It was ruthless and wild, just like everything else on the damned planet. It groaned and howled, twisting in on itself only to uncurl once more spreading wings over the landscape. It sounded like bones. White and cracked and hollow as it rattled together. Maya's eyes pried from the window only to whisk across the room to the closed bathroom door opposite her resting place. There was a slit of light creeping from underneath the doorframe, accompanied by the soft sounds of a running shower. She better go ahead and get it over with. The storm wasn't getting any better, and she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. She pressed the small button on the side of the echo and waited as it came to life, a small beeping tone sounding as it rang.

There was a click and the sound of a hand shuffling to pick the device on the other end up.

"Maya, is everything ok?" Roland's concerned voice crackled across the echo.

Maya sighed out loudly.

She hadn't even said two words to the man and already he was assuming something was wrong. Roland nearly always answered his echo like that though, always assuming the worst.

"Yeah Roland everything is fine. Look I'm calling to tell you I won't be back to base tonight, massive storm rolled through the Frozen Wastes, I'm held up in Liar's Berg. I'm fine but with that storm brewing out there I don't really have a choice but to bunk down here for the night." Maya grunted pulling her knee up to her chin and resting her head on it slowly.

There was a pause across the echo, and the silence from the crimson leader made Maya's stomach turn unpleasantly.

"Yeah, I can see the storm on the radar. Just be careful out there soldier, echo in the morning. We need you back at base as soon as possible. I have some missions to discuss with you. Take care." Roland breathed sternly.

"I will." Maya said blankly before clicking the echo off once more.

Roland's standoffish tone did not come as any surprise to her. He'd been a mood since the failure to take down Jack's mines. He was just trying to pull all the pieces of the failed mission back together and it was proving to be a daunting task. They had taken a heavy hit, and it showed. It showed in the way Roland had bags clinging to the undersides of his eyes, and in the way his face moved, mouth a hard line, eyes shifting and tired. It showed in his tone and in his demeanor.

Maya sighed heavily and let the echo clatter onto the dresser beside her loudly. She secured the crook of her chin to her folded knee and hugged her arms around her leg slowly. Lies upon lies upon lies. It was as if that was all she knew how to do anymore, lie. Lie to the leader of the resistance, Pandora's last hope. She lied with little hesitation anymore, and that fact frightened her deep down to her inner core. The lies were becoming easier; the wrong was becoming more justifiable, the burden seemed to be lessened. Maya clenched her fist tightly.

This was what she had let herself become, and yet…part of her was not sorry for it. Part of her did not apologize for her actions. As much as she wanted the guilt, the horrid heaviness of the wrongdoing…it just wasn't there tonight. She couldn't find it in her to be sorry. She just wasn't. That part of her was a worrying thing, the part that was indeed not sorry. That part was where the line was drawn. Where whatever pieces of her were Vault Hunter, and what pieces were the enemy. Maya shook her head suddenly and uncurled herself from the old wood of the windowsill. She wouldn't give the thoughts her time. She didn't want to think about Sanctuary, the blood spilled of those that went against Hyperion, Roland and his disapproving tired eyes, the looming title of Vault Hunter, the feeling that she wasn't even sure if she was one anymore. She just wanted to think about the inn suite and the contents it held. She just wanted the here and the now and that was all, nothing more and nothing less.

Maya crossed the room and slowly plucked Jack's white dress shirt up off the floor from where it had been strewn in earlier moments. Maya slung the soft material over her nude form, the sleeve running the length of her arm as she filled it gracefully. The siren wrapped the front around her halfheartedly, connecting only two of the small pearl buttons. They were pristine between her fingers, bone white and smooth. The long shirt fell down over the plume of her hips and tickled along her mid thighs, swallowing her thin frame comfortingly. Maya pulled the collar to her chin and let the soft material run over her full lips. She let herself ease backward onto the large bed, the plaid, hand sewn comforter bundling around her form. She basked in the feeling of the expensive material shifting around her as she laid backward, sprawling herself over the bed like a lazy cat basking in the presence of the afternoon sun. The shirt smelled like him, strong, sharp, masculine. It was the kind of scent that is to be feared just as much as it is to be lusted after, the kind of scent that could burn a woman's senses down. It was the type of scent that could make a prisoner out of you. It was a mixture of expensive cologne, and the lingering scent of blood, earth and nickel mixed heavy on the fabric. Maya let a slow, slight breath come forth from her lungs, slipping through her nose heavily.

She pulled one of her knees up slightly, bare foot sliding over the bedding softly. Her eyes wandered her surroundings slowly, trailing across the heavy wood furniture. The suite was homey really, built of sturdy wood, adorned with lamps that cast dark shadows across the hard floorings. The furniture was old, but it was sturdy, having lasted through the years and all the heavy burdens of it. She suddenly wondered how many lovers this old room had seen in its lifetime, lovers coming here to escape storms long before her time, lovers who were running from something, lovers who were running to something, lovers that should not have been lovers and lovers who were meant to be, lovers of all kinds, shapes, sorts. Lovers who just wanted to get lost in the snow, lost in the ice, lost in the cold.

Maybe that was what she wanted, to get lost out here in the snow, to get lost out here and never return. Maybe she would just exist out here, disappear into the glaciers and live like the wild things did the wild things of the snow. Maybe that was all she was. A wild thing with a heart so cold it belonged here. Maybe she was a monster after all. For all her life that was what the people of her home had thought of her. They had feared her and shied from her, frightened that in a flick of a wrist she could end them. Stop their heart like an old pocket watch that had seen better days. When she had left that planet she had come here to prove that she wasn't that monster they all seemed to think she was. She wasn't a beast, a freak of nature, a god. She just wanted to be like the rest of them, feel normal. But here, lying draped in the shirt of the biggest monster on the planet, she could feel all her scales coming forth from her skin. She could really feel the horns coming through her hair. She could sense the fangs behind her lips and the slits within her eyes. Here, she was just as much of a monster as the man behind the door across the room from her. Maybe she was that monster those people had all feared. Maybe she was…

Maya's thoughts were broken as the bathroom handle clicked, turned and the door came open with a wide slow yawn. Maya continued to stare upward at the ceiling, head tilted backward casually, short hair pooled on the bed loosely.

She could hear the slow footsteps, one after the other, padding across the hard wood softly. Maya could feel the hairs on her arms stand on end, goose bumps running rampant up her skin as the presence hunted closer to her.

The mattress dipped with new weight, hands sliding over blankets and body settling down beside Maya's form.

Maya could feel blunt fingers comb through her hair gently pushing her bangs from her face, touching the slope of her neck subtly.

"Well….hello there kitten." Jack husked grabbing the collar of the shirt Maya wore and fiddling with it in-between his thumb and forefinger.

Maya just looked at him with soft, lucid eyes, lips forming around the break of a smile.

"I was cold, hope you don't mind." Maya whispered stretching satisfyingly.

Jack chuckled thickly.

"By all means, please carry on. I don't mind a bit pumpkin." Jack whispered pressing his thin lips against the round of Maya's ear.

"I hate to admit it…but you do wear it better." Jack swooned, fingers tracing up the siren's thigh, bundling the tails of his own shirt around the top of his wrist.

Maya made a fake gasp and clapped her hand over her mouth teasingly.

"Handsome Jack, is that a compliment I hear? Admitting someone else looks better in your clothes than you do?" Maya taunted wickedly.

Jack rolled his eyes over dramatically; green and blue shifting in his sockets laughing subtly at the siren's teasing words.

Jack kissed the corner of Maya's mouth lightly, the warmth of his lips pleasant on her flesh. The siren sat up slowly, Jack leaning back from his crooned position to allow her upright.

"So I guess I'm stuck with you for the night huh?" Maya snarled giving the CEO a playful glare.

Jack shrugged his shoulder casually and grinned back at the blue haired woman.

"I suppose so huh kiddo?" Jack cooed softly, his fingers wandering to his borrowed shirt pooling over the siren's form once more.

"Oh that's just great." Maya growled sarcastically, her voice teasing and playful.

"Oh you poor thing, must be such torture having to actually stay with me for longer than the amount of time it takes you to get your clothes back on, re-attach all your gear, and get out the door." Jack pouted looking at Maya with his best impression of 'puppy dog eyes'.

Maya looked at him almost apologetically.

"That's how things are supposed to work. That was the deal we had in the beginning." Maya tossed the comment out sternly, eyes settling on Jack's slender features.

Jack's eyes softened as they settled on the siren.

"Well things change siren." Jack whispered leaning back on his elbow smile fading from his lips slowly.

"You know…I really never have been big on this whole…change thing." Maya whispered eyes down casting from the Hyperion CEO.

"Sometimes change is a good thing kiddo. Like this planet…it needs change. These people, they need change. Nothing ever comes from just standing still." Jack stated looking at Maya with flickering, intelligent eyes.

Maya felt her breath catch in her throat, fingers stilling as the settled on the bed. Jack was not a man that made sense often. He certainly had not made a career of it that was for sure. But in that moment, his words made some sort of sense to the siren sitting across from him. The words unnerved her, and the absurdity of how right they were made her stomach tighten.

As if realizing the phrase was too heavy, a small chuckle let loose from Jack's lips and he sat forward on the bed, feet finding the floor with a heavy thud. Palms found his lean, toned hips and teeth unsheathed into a white smile.

"You want a drink cupcake?" Jack asked suddenly, and Maya knew he was purposely changing the subject.

They were both very good at that. When conversations became even the slightest bit uncomfortable, both she and the CEO were near pros at dancing lightly out of the danger zone. At the first hint of anything deeper than just surface level they skirted out of it by diving headlong into a new, fresher, less heavy subject.

"Yes please." Maya said outwardly sighing, relieved at Jack's change in conversation subject.

"What will it be siren?" Jack asked over his shoulder as he whisked across the large room, Maya's eyes following his every movement.

She was left only to watch him, to linger on the definition to the muscles in his legs, his back, and his nude buttocks. He hadn't bothered to find his clothes since he'd left them on the floor earlier, and it seemed he had no intentions of doing so. Maya couldn't find it in herself to complain in all truth.

"Surprise me." Maya whispered shifting her legs into a crossed position, folding them in toward her lap casually, Jack's dress shirt just barely keeping her modest.

Jack retrieved two bottles from the small cabinet near the table, and two glasses. He filled the shorter, squatter glass with ice then poured the warm amber liquid into its belly. He poured a deep crimson liquid into the other much taller, long stemmed wine glass. With steady hands and an even steadier pace the CEO returned. His walk oozed with a drawling swagger that had Maya's eyes dancing with him, playing over his defined abdomen, down the 'v' that dipped to his groin where walnut hairs gathered around the base of his flaccid cock. He seemed to have such little qualm with being utterly naked before the siren. He lacked in any sort of modesty or humble nature as he nearly stalked toward the woman sitting curled on the bed. His hand bent down, holding the glass by its flare, outreaching in a painfully graceful fashion as he offered the wine to the blue haired woman. She curled her slender fingers around the long stem of the crystal, digits just barely brushing with Jack's. His eyes flickered slightly, registering the touch, but deciding not to act upon the impulses she knew were rising in his stomach. Instead the twitch of his hand focused around the rim of his short glass, swaying the amber liquid languidly. He joined his company on the bed, casually bringing the hard drink to his lips and tilting it back, humming slightly as the taste burned over his tongue and down his throat. Maya took a slow drink of her wine, allowing herself to savor in the slightly sweet, sharp, liquid as it ran over her senses.

She made a pleased noise in her throat and took another long drink. It was good wine, really good wine, expensive wine no doubt. Jack watched the siren with baited eyes, blinking slowly, shifting the ice in his glass gently.

"How is it?" Jack whispered nodding his drink toward Maya's glass.

Maya peered at him through relaxed, heavy lids and nodded slowly.

"It is good. Bet it cost an arm and a leg, am I right?" Maya chortled coyly.

Jack's grin was slim and sly as it parted his lips.

"Try several arms and legs, possibly a torso and a few heads." Jack joked wryly.

Maya just rolled her cool grey eyes and took more of the dark liquid into her throat.

The drinks came easy, one glass quickly turning into several, and the conversation came even easier. Words came off alcohol heavy tongues, laughter thick and rich with inebriation.

Maya tilted her head back carelessly, laughing at something Jack had said moments before. His laughter joined with hers, his eyes playful and drunken, movements slow and lazy. Maya sat crossed legged on the bed just inches from Jack who mimicked her position. Jack drained his drink; having lost count of how many he'd had hours ago. It was well into the night, the world outside having slid into darkness, the wind still howling at the windows and banging on the walls. The well fed fire that danced in the stone fireplace kept the chill of the storm at bay, the small room left a warm, inviting environment… safe haven for two monsters riding out the storm, together.

Maya leaned forward, nearly spilling a bit of wine onto the bedding and catching her tilting glass last minute.

"Let's play truth or dare." Maya slurred slightly, her grin beaming and playful as her sleepy eyes played over the man before her.

Jack snorted against his glass, quickly cocking a thin eyebrow at the siren and cocking his lip up in a half snarl.

"You're kidding right? What wasn't that a thing in like…eighth grade?" Jack teased tilting his head in a playfully teasing fashion.

Maya glared at him and pursed her lips slightly, a grin wanting to break through her expression.

"Oh c'monnnn what is big bad Handsome Jack afraid of a little truth of dare?" Maya taunted extending two of her fingers, walking them up Jack's chest and gently flicking the underside of his nose.

"I'm not scared. It's just kinda stupid kiddo." Jack retorted rubbing the back of his hand against his nose and giving Maya an un-amused little glare.

"Oh don't be a big party pooper. It will be funnnn." Maya chimed drunkenly, taking a sip of her wine and playfully winking at her counterpart.

Jack let loose of a long exhale of air and grinned at the blue haired woman.

"Alright kitten, alright, you go first sweet cheeks. Truth or dare?" Jack quipped jingling his empty glass in Maya's direction.

"Truth." Maya replied quickly.

Jack chuckled.

"Taking the safe route first huh? Fine, You ever fucked any of your little vault hunter buddies?" Jack said without hesitation, giving Maya a mean little look.

Maya snorted loudly and shook her head wildly.

"God no. You seen those guys? C'mon Jack give me a little credit here." Maya chuckled shaking her head again.

Jack seemed pleased with her answer.

"Good. I'd have been really disappointed to hear you'd bumped uglies with one of those dirty bandits. Had my worries y'know, figured that commando isn't half bad looking…guys kinda a showboat so I figured he might have made a pass at you or something." Jack quipped refilling his drink and setting the now much lighter bottle on the floor beside the bed.

Maya scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out.

"Ew. Axton's my best friend, but I sure as hell wouldn't fuck him." Maya giggled playfully pushing Jack's chest.

Jack grabbed her suddenly, fingers curling around her slender wrist and dragging her toward him.

"That's right pumpkin. That's why you have me, because nobody can fuck…like I can." Jack husked grinning devilishly, snapping off every syllable with a sharpness that made Maya's heart flutter.

"You're turn big shot. Truth or Dare Jack." Maya whispered her breath slightly shallow as she swallowed dryly, Jack's lips becoming ever closer to hers.

"Truth." Jack whispered before taking Maya's lip between his teeth and biting just enough to make a moan form in her throat.

Jack leaned back, allowing the siren to collect her thoughts and she pushed her hair back shakily.

"Did you really…uh…fuck Moxxi?" Maya managed to gather the question feebly.

Jack nearly doubled over in a fit of wild laughter, clutching his stomach as the chuckles got louder.

"Oh god kiddo, you _had _to bring that up?" Jack hissed the breath whistling through his teeth as he sucked it in.

Maya offered him a wry, teasing grin and made a gagging noise in her throat.

"Ewwwwww! Jack that's disgusting! Is there any man on Pandora that Moxxi _hasn't _fucked!?" Maya laughed shrilly pushing Jack's chest playfully.

Jack groaned outwardly, if he hadn't been so drunk, he might have actually found it in himself to be angry at the siren for bringing up that less than flattering tidbit from his past.

"It…it was a couple of times, and I was drunk for near all of them." Jack growled lowly rolling his eyes.

"Not my proudest moment gotta admit that…" Jack shrugged sheepishly.

Maya laughed and traced her fingers over the hard of Jack's collarbone.

"I won't hold it against you. Moxxi's a charmer, can't say I blame you. I mean…there have been many times where I have been halfway certain the woman has made a pass at me even." Maya chuckled lightly, shuddering a little.

Jack growled deep in the hollows of his throat and leaned in closer, kissing the siren's neck hotly.

"I mean really can you blame her? Who _wouldn't _make a pass at you kitten?" Jack husked eyes fluttering dangerously as they swept over her.

Jack and his god damned flattery. Maya felt her cheeks fill with color and swallowed loudly, the sound just barely audible in Jack's ears.

"So what's it gunna be siren, truth or dare?" Jack continued his lips ghosting up the tilt of her throat and trailing along her jaw.

"T-Truth…." Maya stuttered eyes falling helplessly closed at the touch of his warm mouth.

"Oooo still not feeling very brave cupcake?" Jack teased running a thumb over her bottom lip his voice taunting and maniacal.

Maya let a small 'hrrumph' pass her lips and folded her arms irritably.

"No. Just…working myself up to a dare." Maya barked annoyed.

Jack chortled drunkenly and his unevenly colored eyes seemed to smile against her.

"Got any secret hobbies kiddo? One's you'd never admit to doing?" Jack swooned lowly.

Maya looked at him with wide grey eyes and sheepishly pushed her bangs out of her face. Her teeth buried her plump lip between them and her pupils shifted nervously to the bed.

"You promise you won't tell anybody?" Maya whispered her voice small and unsure.

Jack seemed to perk at the sound, a big palm coming to slide over her jaw, tilting her chin up slightly.

"Promise kiddo. Nothing leaves this room." Jack whispered back soothingly.

Maya rubbed the back of her hair slowly and lifted up off the bed hesitantly, leaving Jack's palm empty as she crossed the room to where her pack lay near the door. Jack watched with curious eyes as the siren plucked something from the pack, clutching it to her chest timidly, seeming to pause for a moment before returning to her spot on the bed. The siren held in her hands what looked to be a small, leather bound book, wrapped tightly shut with a piece of sinew. She thumbed at the small piece keeping it latched and then looked to Jack shyly.

"I uh…I kinda like to sketch…a little." Maya whispered slowly.

"Wildlife mostly, I uh…track a certain family group of Skags…keeping tabs on their movements, habits, hunting patterns…and I sketch it all in here." Maya sighed opening up the small sketchbook and thumbing through the pages.

Jack's eyes were sparkling with interest as the siren settled on a large sketch of what looked to be about fifteen different skags.

Maya pointed to the first two largest skags, finger lingering lovingly on the spines of the sketched animals.

"This is the alpha male, Malikye and the alpha female, Razz." Maya said looking to Jack's intent gaze settled on the picture of the massive, ebony colored skag.

"Why is he black? I've never seen a black skag before." Jack whispered scooting to Maya's side so he could rest his head on her shoulder and observe the sketches better.

Maya smiled at Jack's interest.

"That's what makes this pack so special. He's only one of two ever spotted on Pandora. I studied this family group a lot while doing missions for Hammerlock, and well…I just sorta got attached to them. Hammerlock and I were hoping that we would see more of the black skags since Malikye overtook the pack and the role of alpha male. We hoped he would produce litters with the alpha female that might carry the gene…" Maya's eyes grew sad and her voice trailed off a little.

Jack frowned and touched her shoulder softly, big palm running over the slender anatomy.

"But…well nature apparently will not have any of that. There's a disease running rampant through the pack's family members. It already killed off the alpha male, and it's threatening to kill off the alpha female also…and she's pregnant with a litter." Maya's fingers touched over the slightly smaller, tawny colored female sketched on the page next to the first skag.

Jack made a displeased noise and nuzzled into Maya's neck.

"I'm sorry." Jack whispered suddenly, his fingers tracing over Maya's, touching the well depicted sketches in sad wonder.

"It's ok. Nature is like that. It is wild and it is untamed, and there is nothing I can do about it. Just such a shame, such a beautiful thing…is fading away." Maya sighed.

"Your sketches are beautiful siren." Jack whispered suddenly and Maya's frown conformed into a small smile.

"Thanks. So you don't think its lame?" Maya snickered softly.

"Not at all. Kinda neat actually kiddo, never pegged you for an animal nerd." Jack teased nipping at Maya's ear softly.

Maya chuckled lowly.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up big shot. So I like animals. Sue me." Maya chuckled rubbing shoulders with the older male.

"Truth or dare Mr. President?" Maya whispered then, her mood lightening once more.

"Truth." Jack whispered back, his lips painfully close to the siren's.

"Everybody is afraid of something, so, tell me…what is Handsome Jack afraid of?" Maya breathed pushing against the heat of his mouth wanting and insistent.

Jack seemed to tense a little as Maya pushed into his lap, spreading herself over the Hyperion CEO's legs and wrapping her arms around his neck casually.

"Tough question kiddo. Breaking out the big guns huh?" Jack cooed the alcohol making his words slow and his tongue lazy.

"Figured I needed to bring the heavy artillery to this gun fight Mr. Hyperion." Maya cooed wickedly.

"Well I am not exactly fond of the dark. Nor am I one to like being alone. I guess you could say I am afraid of those." Jack whispered his breath puffing over Maya's blue lips gently.

She could smell the heavy drink on his breath, the scent tickling at her senses like a long lost lover, beckoning her in softly. She kissed him again, rougher this time, fingers coming to his walnut locks to entwine carelessly.

"Handsome Jack is afraid of the dark?" Maya giggled whisking her slim fingers through his bangs, still slightly damp from his shower earlier.

Jack just shrugged.

"Never have been a fan of not being able to see what's around me. Gives me the creeps." Jack shrugged as he settled into the feeling of the siren's fingers running through his thick hair.

"So…you like sleep with a nightlight or something? I'm totally going to start buying you souvenir night lights when I go on missions." Maya chuckled drunkenly rocking on Jack's lap.

Jack shot her a playfully un-amused glance.

"Oh hush kiddo, lots of people don't like the dark." Jack quipped in his own defense.

Maya grinned at him still chuckling.

"Why don't you like being alone?" Maya whispered touching Jack's sharp cheekbone.

Jack shrugged again, shoulders rising and falling in an unsure fashion.

"I don't like being alone, but somehow it always ends up that way. I don't want it that way, but that is the way the world will have it. People are designed to let others down, and abandon you when you need them most." Jack sighed leaning into the Siren's offered palm gently.

Maya's smile fell from her lips suddenly.

There it was…something she'd never seen before in the maniac of a man… something human. He had spent a lifetime building himself into this monster and yet here, in this moment something broke through. Just a shred at best, a small fragment of what lied underneath…but all the same it was there. Some small piece that showed there was a bit of humanity still left within the Hyperion CEO.

Just as quickly as the moment fell over the two, it was gone, Jack sweeping the small trace of his past back under the rug from which it had come. He would not let himself be vulnerable for very long.

"Truth or dare." Jack whispered shaking away the sad moment that had fallen over his demeanor and resuming his drunken, pleased state.

"Dare." Maya whispered suddenly, eyes still darting over the Hyperion President unsurely.

She wanted to know more, she didn't want that moment to simply be forgotten. That was the first time she'd seen another side of Jack, even if it was just a small hint, but she wanted to know more. She wanted in. But everything inside her commanded to leave it be. So she did. She left it there; let it flutter away from the conversation without question.

"Dance with me." Jack husked suddenly, fingers curling around the blue haired woman's slim wrists gently.

Maya broke out in small chuckles as Jack pulled her off the bed and forced her to her feet, leaving her standing in the middle of the room as he clicked on an old echo radio on one of the antique dressers beside them.

The machine crackled to life and began humming out something soft, and slow, most likely the only station the little thing could pick up through the still howling storm.

Maya chuckled slightly as Jack sashayed toward her, taking her hands in his large palms and forcing her flush to his body. Maya could feel her pulse drumming in her ears and her heart rattling in her chest being so close, with no choice, the storm forcing such unlikely people together. Being so confused by Jack and his ways and the whole other side of him he was unwrapping shred by shred in his slightly inebriated state.

"Just so you know, I have two left feet." Maya snorted as Jack began to lead, taking her with him and forcing her feet to know where to go.

He led well, slow and steady, allowing Maya's slower, much less talented feet to keep pace with him.

"That's cute pumpkin, never learned how to dance huh?" Jack whispered in her ear as he twirled her around, forcing her back into his chest, then uncurling her just as quickly.

Maya scowled, a smile threatening her plump lips.

"I learned! I just was never very good at it asshole." Maya snarled playfully, letting Jack push and pull her in circles around the room.

Jack's leadership almost made Maya seem graceful, her body slowly catching on to the simple movements and flow. It was nice, twirling around in his arms, caring about nothing but his arms and her arms and the radio and the soft music and the wailing wind outside. Everything just seemed to get lost in the moment as the music settled over them and two hearts beat as one, leaving caution at the door. Two bodies warm with alcohol, too many drinks that left them so open to sharing what they couldn't before. Round and round and round, tipping and tilting, spinning and laughing they danced across the room. Jack's eyes filled with enthrallment as Maya so willingly let him teach her, let him have her. Maya's eyes flickered with joy as she learned and spun and giggled when she tripped over Jack's feet, or mixed up the rhythm of her steps.

One song turned into three, which turned into just one more dance. One more turned into an hour spent learning, hands held in Jack's feet following the CEO's carefully. Tired and breathless from laughter Maya flopped down on the bed, Jack following her closely, arms finding the curves of her body, lips finding her plump pillows. He framed her to the bed, body so much wider and stronger than hers, her eyes flashing as she looked up at him through heavy lashes.

"You're a good dancer Mr. President." Maya cooed softly, voice still wavering with small giggles.

Jack grinned as he kissed her cheek.

"Thanks kitten. You're uh…just about as bad as you said." Jack laughed heartily.

Maya slapped his chest and chuckled with him.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Maya laughed.

A pause fell over the two, grey meeting with soft green and ocean blue. Jack stood gracefully, lifting off the siren mindfully. He poured himself another drink and did the same for the blue haired woman. Maya sipped her wine slowly, eyes still wandering over her interesting counterpart.

"Truth or dare." Maya whispered touching Jack's shoulder softy from her position on the bedding.

"One more truth." Jack whispered.

"Did you love the Sheriff?" Maya whispered suddenly.

An age old question that had haunted Maya from times past just came surging out before her better judgment could stop it.

"Were you upset when I killed her?" Maya continued.

Jack pressed a thick finger to her lips, clicking his tongue at the young female.

"I believe you only get to ask one question sweetie. I mean unless I've forgotten how this game works." Jack whispered grinning.

Jack shook his head slowly, grin dark and wicked across his features.

"I thought I loved the Sheriff. Really I did, but I'm not sure that was love. It was more of a mutual hate that became so strong we just found it easier to be together than to not be. It's hard to explain. But it wasn't love, as I have later found. Also, yes, I was upset, for a moment…but ill feelings quickly became something more….lustful I think. You killed her because you knew you could. You killed her because you were stronger, more powerful, because you simply had the means to do so. She asked for a fight and you answered her. What more was there to do? The way you raised to her challenge. It only showed just how willing you were to fight, to go against those that thought lesser of you. That day…that was when I really hated you. I hated you because Nisha was mine…and I hated that in some disgusting way…that only made me want you more. You took from me. So I wanted the thing that I couldn't have. Nisha was something I could have, whenever I wanted, wherever I wanted. I had always wanted you, but that day…when you put a bullet in her breast without a second thought, without blinking an eye, I _had_ to have you. I had to _feel_ you. I had to taste that power. I had to hold that woman that wiped such a powerful entity away like snuffing out a flame." Jack husked the words lowly, nursing his drink gently, eyes lazy as they wandered over Maya's confused expression.

Maya swallowed shallowly, eyes blinking stupidly.

"W-Well…that was…" Maya began but Jack cut her off with a hiss that came from between his parted lips.

"Truth or Dare siren." He stated grinning.

He wasn't going to allow Maya to dwell on his answer. He had thrown it to her like scraps, but did not let her finish them. He left her hungry and wondering where the nourishment had gone.

"Truth." Maya whispered breathlessly, hands still on Jack's warm body, eyes looking to his shakily.

"What would you say siren…if I told you that I loved you?" Jack whispered, drink flush against his lips, eyes straight forward, the words falling through the air like stones.


	8. What Would You Say?

What Would You Say?

The words hit against Maya like a wave, it came crashing over her shore, sweeping away all her abilities to function. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, everything just escaped her in one fleeting moment. She stared at the other man with wide eyes, fingers slipping from the glass she held, finally forcing her to hastily set the long stemmed crystal down on the bedside table clumsily, nearly spilling it in the process. Her mouth parted then closed again, brain frantically trying to form some kind of words, any kind of words. Her grey orbs met with ill assorted green and blue wavering slightly as their gazes met.

"Jack…I uh…" Maya began hesitantly, her words failing her miserably.

Jack's eyes followed her intensely.

"What would you say?" He repeated coming closer to the siren, setting his drink on the floor beside the bed.

His hands came to slide up the sides of Maya's jaw, cupping it gently, tilting her head upward just slightly. Maya was pretty sure her heart had stopped beating and she had forgotten all knowledge of how to breathe. The alcohol swirled in her head and fogged her thoughts; it made her heart beat faster, thrumming against her ribcage, her pulse banging through her throat.

"I-I don't…I don't know what I would say…" Maya whispered slowly her words tumbling off her tongue unsurely.

"I-I don't know how to explain this…much less say it…out loud." Maya whispered breathlessly, Jack's lips hovering hers dauntingly.

"Try." Jack husked slowly pressing the siren into the bed.

Maya's legs formed around him out of instinct, hands pressing into his bare chest. Her eyes were wide as dinner plates as she stared at him, beautiful and in the same sense frightened, unsure.

"But I am afraid…" Maya breathed slowly.

"Don't be." Jack replied pushing her knees apart slowly, leaning down, lips closing in on hers, just barely out of reach.

Maya sucked in a long, slow breath, lungs expanding with the intake of oxygen.

"I would say I think I am falling in love with you too." Maya whispered finally.

Jack's face was unmoving as he looked over her, seconds passed, feeling like an eternity after the words left Maya's lips. Suddenly his lips pressed into the sirens, heavy and hard, passionate and intent. She kissed him back, arching her neck into the touch, back coming off the bed slightly. Her fingers found Jack's locks, pressing into his scalp wanting and needy. Lips slid together, the touch sending fire through the siren's veins and causing her pulse to escalate even more. Two hearts thundered together pounding against muscle and bone. Two lovers, new and unsure, timid and frightened urged onward by the courage the alcohol gave them. Maya's knees wrapped around Jack's hips without hesitation, pulling him closer to her as his dress shirt fell around her thighs.

"Oh Maya I have to have you… now." Jack husked firmly pressing himself against her, hand coming to squeeze around her upper thigh sternly.

Maya breathed out raggedly and lurched up into Jack's pressure.

"One more truth or dare." Maya husked against Jack's thrumming pulse warmly.

"Why?" Jack questioned raising a thin eyebrow in her direction, hands still touching every part of her could possibly find.

"Don't ask why just say dare." Maya whispered her breath stained and thick.

"I don't think you're supposed to dictate my choice between truth or dare kitten." Jack teased through a wide, pearly grin.

"Just say it." Maya repeated voice lost between lustful and demanding.

"Dare." Jack hissed back his voice low and throaty as arousal took him over.

"Take off your mask." Maya whispered touching the false flesh that was pressed flush against Jack's face, fingers running over the metal hinges lovingly.

Jack seemed to recoil at the request his eyes suddenly full of dread and fear.

"Maya…you don't want me to do that…" Jack whispered his voice full of shame.

Maya pressed her palm against Jack's cheekbone in a reassuring fashion.

"Jack please…just trust me." Maya near begged, her words soft and pleasant on Jack's ears.

"Siren…what's under this mask…isn't pretty. Life has not been kind to me…you don't want to see that…" Jack whispered through gritted teeth his voice dripping with hints of sadness and old wounds.

"Please, please just let me see. I'll be the judge of what is and isn't pretty." Maya retorted kissing along Jack's jaw, pushing the CEO to comply.

Jack paused for a moment, eyes falling nearly closed, mouth downturned in a displeased frown. His body seemed to sag over hers, unsure and fearful. She could taste his fear on her tongue; hear it in every shaky breath he drew in.

"Please." Maya repeated from beneath the CEO pleadingly.

Jack nodded slowly, still avoiding the siren's silver eyes.

"Ok." He whispered slowly leaning up on the bed, hands coming to the edges of the mask.

Fingers went about unclipping each hinge, slowly, painfully slowly, still not completely willing. Maya watched with baited breath, enthralled with each movement from Jack's thick fingers. Finally each hinge was undone and the mask was held in place by just Jack's large palm. Time seemed to stand painfully still as Jack drew in an unsteady breath. He pulled the mask away, cupping it carefully in his palms, eyes closed, face twisted in the old habit of shame. The air felt chill on the tender skin; never exposed to the elements his flesh was sensitive in the cold of the room.

Jack's eyes opened slowly, only to capture Maya's as she looked upon him, for what felt like the first time. What once had been his green eye was now discolored with the absence of the mask, seemingly blind, pupil white as freshly fallen snow. An old, terrible, massive scar scribed up one side of his face then fell down the other, directly over his dead eye. The scar was deep, and brutal, set in his flesh like an old mark of shame. Jack's demeanor seemed so fearful as he adverted his eyes shamefully. The mask was something the man could hide behind, something he could cling to, something that made him less of a human. But here as he sat without it, vulnerable as a newborn animal, he was just a man. Just a man with a past that had not been easy on him, a past Maya desperately wanted to know every aspect of. Maya's tender hand reached up slowly, then finally made contact with the baby soft skin of Jack's face. He instinctively flinched at the alien touch of fingers against him and Maya made a shushing noise in her throat. Maya's finger pads ran over the indention of the old bluish colored scar and she took a slow breath in wonder.

"Oh Jack…" Maya whispered softly, fingers running the length of the scar enthralled by it.

She had never in her life seen anything more frightening…yet beautiful in the very same breath.

"I know. It's…hideous…" Jack breathed through grit teeth, the words coming out painful as he spoke them.

Maya shook her head and furrowed her eyebrows together tightly.

"No. It's gorgeous." Maya husked pulling Jack down on top of her once more.

Jack's face contorted into an expression of confusion at the siren's words. He looked at her solemnly, eyes flickering with old scars and old pain.

"You are gorgeous." Maya continued arching her hips into Jack's groin, pulling him into her lips harshly.

She kissed him as if she had never kissed before, like it was the only thing she could ever want or need. Hands frantic, lips even more so, breathing erratic and hips moving. Jack hummed against her lowly, the sound rumbling over her being.

Jack surrounded the blue haired woman, his large palm sliding the length of her thigh and pushing the tails of his dress shirt up her, exposing her lower body insistently. Jack's lids closed over snow and ocean eyes lulling into the feeling of the siren moving against him, her palms pressing against his shoulder blades as she wrapped herself around him. Two bodies molded together, brought close by too much drink and little regards for the world that surrounded them.

Jack's fingers worked the front of his borrowed shirt open, buttons coming loose, material falling against the bed. Maya bucked into him, naked chest exposed to the cool air. She shivered against Jack's skin and his busied hands immediately found the comforter, hauling it up and over their bodies. Maya curled into Jack's warmth and the warmth of the heavy blankets, disappearing beneath the bedding, into a cocoon of needy hands and frantic kisses. Maya could feel the pressure of Jack's hips pinning her down, the heat of his hardness pressing into her soft stomach, making her hiss and shudder against him.

"The things you do to me siren…god damn…" Jack husked against her ear hotly, grinding his proud erection against her overly flushed skin.

Maya could only moan at Jack's words as they teased against her, fingers curling against Jack's rotating shoulders. Her voice raised an octave as Jack's wandering fingers slid down her heaving chest, over her abdomen, over her stomach, then finally reaching her swollen clit. His thumb played over it gently, applying just the slightest amount of pressure, teasing her meanly. Maya arched, fingernails digging into the skin provided, moans coming forth louder, more powerful.

Maya's feminine gasps and cries of pleasure carried hints of Jack's name as they slid from her parted lips and the CEO was lost in them, needing them like a desperate addict, needing to get his fix of the enticing sounds. Nerves fluttered away as they broke to the pressures of passion and of need. Jack pushed aside the shame and the old fears of being without the mask. He had near forgotten he was no longer wearing it, only reminded by the way Maya touched his face. It was different than normal, her fingers pushed by pure curiosity, the need to feel every ridge, every dip, ever swell of old scar tissue. The scar that trailed across him like a brand, seared through the layers of skin, the three smaller scars indented along with it created by the hinges of the mask, where it attached. Her fingers grazed over it all, without fear, without hesitation, they touched with captivation, the siren's eyes following behind them, starry and wide as she looked at the unmasked man. Only stopping when Jack leaned down to gather her lips in a heavy kiss, then fingers would leave him, resuming when he moved to her neck. It was like all she could do was touch, needing to touch, needing to feel. She needed it and he let her. Maya's lips then found the scar, pressing against it lightly, drawing a helpless moan from the male on top of her. It was rough beneath her lips, jagged and mean, a part of him that she had never kissed, all new for her to do so. His skin that wasn't scarred was so soft, so untouched, like velvet as she touched and kissed. Jack simply allowed her to do so, allowed her to fawn over what he considered to be hideous beyond belief. The siren seemed to consider it something else, why he wasn't sure of, but he wouldn't question. It felt nice to just be free, completely naked for the first time before the strange female wrapped around him like ribbon.

Jack's fingers moved down her, gently prodding entrance to the heat of her body, pleased to find her already wet and dripping for him. She needed it just as much as he did. Their bodies started to give in, Maya's eyes barely open as she moaned out loudly bearing down on the intrusion from Jack's fingers. He gently pumped them into her, gathering more wild gasps from her lungs. They were sweet and loud, echoing off the small room and bounding back to Jack's ears. Jack removed his fingers, getting a sigh of protest from the blue haired woman and he pivoted her hips to his groin, aligning himself with her. With a gentle thrust he entered her, the siren's body tight around his thickness as he filled her. Maya cried out loudly and screwed her eyes shut tightly. Jack let a hiss pass through his grit teeth, eyebrows furrowed together in concentration as his hips strained to keep still. He allowed Maya to adjust to him and when her hisses of slight pain ebbed to moans of ecstasy, he began to roll forward, finding a slow, steady pace. Maya was all legs and arms and gasps and pleas. The comforters wrapped around them wildly, the heat between them quickly becoming a desperately uncomfortable. Jack flung the heavy blankets off when they hindered his movements and his fingers pressed into Maya's hipbones sternly, dragging her into each of his thrusts. Each movement became progressively more aggressive, needier and more desperate. Jack's moans were low and masculine, coming forth from his throat more like growls than anything else. Sweat pricked as his brow and small beads formed on his chest, running down his torso, becoming lost in the trail of walnut hair running down his abdomen. Maya's eyes fluttered up to his face, expression twisted into that of utter, drunken pleasure. For the first time, she saw his face full of color, painted desperate pink across his sharp cheekbones, bottom lip red and slightly swollen where she had bitten it far too hard. And so a monster became human in not so many moments. A monster that was making the siren fall apart at the seams, tearing her down like thin paper, ripping apart her pulp shred by shred.

Jack's warm mouth found her pert breasts, the healthy anatomy moving with each of the Hyperion CEO's hard thrusts. Tongue played over her nipples, paying due attention to each, drawing thick gasps from her parted lips.

Those gorgeous tattoos running rampant down the left side of her body began to glow brightly as Jack's hips snapped into her with unrelenting haste.

Maya's fingers traveled his body only to clench around his working buttocks, fingers digging into hard muscle, firming with each thrust.

"J-JACK! AH-AH…AGNNN!" Maya near screamed, the alcohol's influence only making her that much louder.

"T-That's right pumpkin, s-say my name again! Say it again!" Jack barked demandingly his voice rough as sandpaper.

"JACK! OH JACK!" Maya moaned shifting beneath his warm body, spine arching, feet sliding over sheets, fingers desperate on their hold of his body.

Jack seemed to outwardly shudder at the sound of his own name, lips curled into a snarl, brows pushed together in a look of arousal and want. Maya's tattoos were glowering out of control, bathing the two of them in brilliant blue light in the dimly lit room. Jack's white eye shimmered with hints of blue as her tattoos reflected in the glassy orb. Lips came together as Maya unraveled around her partner, body tightening for a moment, every muscle stilled and ridged, then finally the stiffness rippled down into her lower half, thighs tightening, every muscle below her hips convulsing with orgasm. Her body fluttered and pulsated around Jack's erection, squeezing pleasantly as she came down onto him, yells muffled as she buried her face in his warm neck.

The moans of his name trailed off into tired whispers as Maya rode out her orgasm, sinking into the feeling of bliss that the intensity left behind. Jack pressed his forehead to hers, balanced on steady arms as he hovered her, his pace becoming unrelentingly harder. Things quickly deteriorated into a race to finish, rutting against the siren persistently, needing that sweet release so badly.

Maya sagged beneath him, arms looping around his neck weakly, her body hanging like a puppet with all its little strings snapped. She tilted her head back a little, moaning out in utter bliss as she felt her partner swell inside of her, becoming more ridged as orgasm threatened to wash down over him. Jack's frantic thrusts stilled suddenly, muscles shuddering as orgasm ripped through him hard. His cock twitched dauntingly before spending itself frantically into the siren. Maya shivered and vaulted as the rush of Jack's release filled her, an alien feeling as the fluids pulsed into her. Jack humped halfheartedly, body tired as her let go of all he had, all the tension formed in his body letting loose in a mind numbingly quick release. His erection pulsated weakly, the last of his finish oozing into the already full space. Jack lingered over the siren tiredly, body still heaving, eyes still closed as he came down from his high. Maya combed her fingers sleepily through Jack's utterly disheveled hair and hummed into the spent man tiredly. Her eyes threatened to close as she still clung to her lover, content with the closeness of bodies, the sounds of heavy breathing and thundering hearts filling the quiet space. Jack slowly pulled himself from her body, some of his plentiful finish coming with him and staining over the sheets.

Maya hissed at the feeling of emptiness she was left with, and Jack quickly wrapped himself around her, body warm and slightly slick, panting breaths still all they could manage between the two of them.

Maya curled herself into Jack's embrace shamelessly, just needing to be close with him, so carefree and so content. Jack pulled the abandoned blankets up over them, heads nestling in on one shared pillow, Maya's head snugly pressed into the crook of Jack's throat. They quickly became a tangle of legs, arms, feet and hands, wrapped around each other tightly. Sleep came hard, bodies exhausted with too much alcohol and too much pleasure. Maya's eyes closed softly and sleep gathered her like a long lost lover, sweeping her off her feet and taking her without question. So they slept, soft sounds of heavy slumber passed between them, intermixed with the still howling storm outside. The wind didn't matter, the cold didn't matter, and the snow didn't matter. Here in the sheets, in the blankets that smelled of love that came too hot and too heavy, they were safe. In a knot of bodies and heavy breaths they were safe… safe to be monsters, safe to be lovers, safe to fall apart.

Maya's eyes shifted beneath heavy lids, stubborn and tired as they parted into small slits. She blinked, once, twice, three times her hazy sight soaking in the foggy grey light that consumed her. She groaned outwardly and forced up onto her elbow, her head pounding and her body feeling as if it weighed ten tons. She felt heavy, and lethargic, slow; everything within her ached and argued against the onset of movement. She felt like she'd been backed over by a damned bandit technical…several times. Maya shifted herself slowly, her calf sliding against a warm mass as she did so. Her eyes snapped open at the touch, the feeling of something foreign surrounding her. Her eyes still struggling to adjust she looked to her left, and the mass occupying the space. A mass of heavy blankets curled around the form sharing the massive bed with her. A low groan kissed at her ears, omitted by the other party weakly, followed by a slow shift in weight.

Maya dragged herself weakly from the throws of sleep and tried to fully rouse her body and mind to attention. She sighed out lowly and sat up, running her hands through her blue locks softly. She looked down at her knees, then her eyesight flicked over to the other side of the bed. There was no movement now, just a mass of disheveled walnut locks peeking out from the top of the blankets and a few large lumps that somewhat resembled a figure. Maya groaned out in dismay, burying her aching head in her hands. She was pretty sure she'd never felt more like shit warmed over in all her life. Everything just…hurt. Her head, her bones, her stomach, everything. She rubbed some of the leftover sleep from her eyes and sucked in a slow breath, her stomach turning uneasily with the intake of air. Maya suddenly felt the warmth as a heavy, half asleep arm wrapped around the front of stomach and draped over her thigh loosely. Maya didn't flinch at the touch, her body was far too tired to react in any sort of manner she normally would have.

Maya slumped slightly in her sitting position.

What the hell had happened last night? She thought to herself weakly. Her tired brain feebly attempted to reach backward into the night's events, but it was struggling miserably. She remembered the storm, the being snowed in, then…the drinking.

Maya sighed. God she'd drank far too much and she should fucking know better. She was better than this, and yet she'd let herself have too many glasses of wine and indulge much more than what was in her own best interest. She rubbed the back of her sore neck slowly, working the tight muscles there with her fingertips. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to gather the memories together. She could just barely remember the beginnings of a giddy truth or dare game. She could slightly make out memories of…dancing?

Dancing. They danced, they laughed, they'd danced some more. They'd talked, about things she would never share. She'd said too much and she hadn't cared.

Maya felt her breath catch in her throat as the recollections flowed back to her like a river having flooded its banks. They rushed over her, pounded through her already worn body, pressed on all her bones and all her being. They had talked of her sketches, they had talked of Jack's fears, they had drank and drank and drank. The alcohol had come so easy, and the words had come even easier. So many words that should have never been said. So many thoughts that should not have come to light. So many things that should have been kept deep inside and they had not been. So many boxes that should have never been opened. The remnants of the truths still lay on the old wood of the flooring, spread out like a deck of cards. They had been playing a dangerous game last night, the most dangerous game of all. The game of truth.

Maya's hand twitched over her mouth, covering it as her pupils widened in sudden realization.

They had talked about love.

Jack had said he loved her…and she…she had said she loved him.

Maya made a pained noise in her throat and jolted out of the bedding she'd been tangled in. She left the warm billows of sheets in panic, feet thudding across the floor at a frantic pace. She blindly fumbled for her clothing, the pieces of her outfit having been abandoned all over the flooring the night previous. She yanked on her combat pants, nearly falling over herself, catching her balance with a stumble and a yell. The other body still occupying the massive bed suddenly snapped upright.

Jack looked at her with half squinted eyes, his face screwed up in confusion, his walnut hair a disheveled wreck from sleep.

"Maya?" Jack questioned his morning voice rough as sandpaper as it came from his lips.

Maya said nothing to the other man, simply wrestled her shirt up over her head, her fingers frantically tugging the material over her body. Jack's eyes narrowed as she paced across the room, grabbing her coat and her weapons, slinging them on in a wild tornado of hands and feet.

She was just pulled on her boots when Jack stumbled out of bed, body protesting the movement harshly.

"Maya wait! Aren't we going to…talk about last night?" Jack pleaded coming to stand between the siren and the doorway.

Not his smartest decision really, it was not wise to stand before a siren and anything in all truth. Especially not an angry siren.

Maya's eyes shifted over Jack's concerned face. His eyebrows were drawn into a thick scowl, the old scar scribed across his face shifting with his expression. The scar was just as shocking in the morning as it was the night before, all the breath leaving Maya's lung frantically. Jack's eyes softened as he looked upon her, they were begging her, pleading her to stay, to talk, to listen.

Maya shook her head and scoffed loudly.

"I don't want to talk about it." Maya snarled, barring her teeth at the CEO, the wild animal in her coming forth like it always did in such situations.

Jack's lips downturned into a dark frown, holding his hands out to block the doorframe, each palm pressing flush against the old wood.

"You don't have a choice." Jack hissed back, his tone wavering between gentle and commanding.

Maya growled lowly, eyes darkening, fists clenching at her sides, a flicker of blue radiating from the tattoos running wild down her arm.

"Move Jack." Maya barked through her teeth, eyes flashing dangerously.

Jack just locked eyes with her, blue and snowy white meeting with stormy grey.

"No." He snapped back at her with just as much malice.

"If you don't I'll make you." Maya roared, a glowering orb forming in her palm dangerously, the blue ribbons flickering around the rest of her arms.

Jack just continued to stare at her, his eyes becoming more gentle as they settled on her angry eyes. She was so vicious, knowing nothing but how to kill and bark and bite. She was so mean, made so by the things she'd had to do to survive. She was scared, scared of emotions and dealing with them. She didn't want to feel, or to listen, or to talk. She just wanted to run from everything that came close to feelings. She wanted to run from her heart and everything in it. Whatever small window Jack had gotten into those deeper places in her soul last night, was now gone. Here he was once again faced with all her walls and all her blockades. Here he was faced with her stubborn nature just like always.

"Please Maya…" Jack whispered and against his better judgment, he reached out and brushed a lock of her silky blue bangs from her slender face.

Maya felt herself freeze at the touch of his fingers body suddenly conflicted between right and wrong. Conflicted between her heart and her head.

No. she couldn't allow herself to feel. She couldn't allow herself to love. No. She couldn't. She wouldn't. She would not allow herself to fall for anybody that would only bring her harm and make her vulnerable. She would not fall…especially not for him. Not for that _monster. _Jack was a monster, he would always be a monster, and she was betraying everybody by loving him. So she refused to do so.

Maya cursed at the powerful man before her and slapped his hand away, her voice coming forth rough and ragged.

"Don't touch me!" Maya barked, her pupils blowing wildly.

She frantically pressed her glowing palm against Jack's bare chest, searing the flesh harshly, causing Jack to collapse before her. He let loose a groan of pain and his hands shot up to his burnt flesh, hissing at the contact.

Maya felt herself gasp, taking her hand away from Jack just as quickly as she had touched him. He looked up at her with pained, confused eyes. Maya's eyes were frantic, a sudden wash of regret coming over her. She hadn't meant to hurt him, she was just so angry. So angry with him, with herself, with everything.

"Jack..I…I'm sorry…" Maya whispered grabbing her gun and then fleeing out the door.

Jack could only watch her go, his chest still stinging where she'd placed her palm, his eyes sad and perplexed.

Maya's feet carried her swiftly out the inn door, her hands pulling her bullymong fur up over her head. With that she was gone out into the snow, boots crunching under the white powder. The world was freshly coated in the snow from the storm last night, like a perfect white sheet spread wide across the landscape. Maya could feel her heart pounding, tears stinging the corners of her eyes as she ran, ran far away from everything that frightened her. Loving and feeling and touching, everything about it was something to be feared. She was a vault hunter. She didn't feel. She didn't love. No. She couldn't. Her feet pounded the ground in a frantic pace, gun swinging at her side, breath coming sharp and painful as she sucked in the cold air. She ran blindly and she ran stupidly, where she was going she was not sure, she just ran without a destination. She just ran to get away. She ran until her legs felt like they may give out and her lungs were burning like cold fire. She fell to her knees atop a large cliff, legs digging into the snow, the cold, white substance building around her. She pressed her hands to her eyes and gasped out frantically. Vault Hunters were not supposed to love…and they were not supposed to cry.


	9. A Really Stupid Thing

A Really Stupid Thing

It had been two months. Two long, long months. They felt like eternities, instead of simple months. They had worn on the siren. Worn on her like hard, unforgiving things, beating her inside out and leaving her bloody and bruised. The efforts of the crimson raiders had increased ten-fold and Roland's plans had really made her want to pull her hair out lately. It was a bloody back and forth between the crimson raider's and Jack's army and no side really seemed to be winning. Except when Jack lost men, he mostly lost robots…which wasn't really losing lives to war. When the Crimson Raider's lost men, they lost husbands, friends, and fathers. They lost medics, and gunsmiths and mechanics. They lost souls and souls could not just be replaced. Human lives could not just be digi-structed from some massive, wailing constructor and replaced with such ease. Lives were so much more complicated. Lives required funerals and mourning when lost. Lives required breaking the bad news to the family, to the children left behind, to the widow left with no spouse. Nobody cried when a loader was lost. Nobody was left behind when a robot was blown into pieces. Nobody mourned when a metal machine was chopped in half. Robots did not bleed…but people did, and there had been much bloodshed on the sands of Pandora in the last few months.

Maya's boots crunched the earth beneath her, the half frozen dirt hard beneath her solid heels. She walked with very little real direction. She simply knew the general area she should be heading towards. She shouldn't really have been out here, but she was anyway. She knew what she would find, and yet…she had com regardless. She knew this was not healthy, but then again, neither was anything else in her upside-down little life. Nothing made sense in her world anymore. Not one goddamned thing. She knew the others were worrying…well Axton was at least.

He'd stopped her in the doorway of headquarters this morning a grim look on his gruff face. She'd looked at him with searching eyes, eyebrows furrowed together hard over her forehead. He looked like he hadn't shaved in over a week and his slight stubble had quickly gone from 'five o' clock shadow' status to 'full on lumberjack'. His hair was dirty with soot, or slag, or something of that sort and he looked worn down to the bone. The constant stream of missions was wearing on him too. Though the bounties they were bringing in were keeping their bellies full, their wallets fat, and Roland pleased…it didn't change the fact that they were all being spread thin. They all needed sleep and rest but neither of those seemed like a tangible, obtainable things anymore.

Maya mirrored Axton's worn appearance, her hair in desperate need of a wash her face sparkling with dirt and sweat from another hot, unpleasant night. It was early, and yet already the heat was beginning to settle in. Pandora was just one big burning ball of fucking heat. That's half the reason Maya had awoken with and made the decision to make a trip out to Three Horns Valley. It was cool in the tundra climate, and that was a much needed reprieve. She'd packed herself to the gills with overnight equipment. She didn't plan on coming back for a couple of days that was for damned sure. She just wanted to get out of Sanctuary for a small fraction of a moment. The small little safe haven of a city had become a prison in the days previous. Too many burials, too many tears, too many new plans to make up for old ones that had failed. Too many barked orders from Roland and from Lilith. Too many missions gone rotten. Too many close calls.

She'd stared at him with confused stone eyes lifting one thin blue eyebrow in question.

"Leaving town?" Axton questioned thudding his shoulder against the doorframe, his eyes darting over her stuffed full pack and the excess of ammo clipped to her belt.

Maya shrugged in response.

"Headed out to Three Horns." She said simply, leaving much to be desired by her vague answer.

Axton made a small 'hrrmph' noise in his throat and crossed his big arms over the front of his dusty uniform.

"That's funny, didn't see that mission on the bounty board. Musta missed that one. Unless Roland sent you on a special task or sumthin'?" Axton said tiling his head to the side, running his tongue over his chapped bottom lip thoughtfully.

Maya looked at the floor. Axton was no moron, and he always fucking knew when she wasn't telling the whole truth. He had a sixth sense like that. Damn him, she thought irritably.

"Don't tell Roland." Maya whispered lowly.

Axton raised his thick, sandy colored eyebrows.

"You know me. Like a god damned safe sweet cheeks. I won't tell a soul, I'll just tell em' you picked up a buried mission off the bounty board that had been lingering around for a while. But…on one condition…" Axton chuckled softly, eyeing her with witty pine colored eyes.

Maya's hands found her hips impatiently and she rolled her cold grey orbs at the burly man blocking her path.

"What's the condition?" Maya snarled her lip curling up in a displeased fashion.

"Grab some breakfast with me at Moxxi's. It's been a while since we just sat down and talked pretty lady. These missions have kinda had us all runnin' around like a buncha Rakks with our heads cut off." Axton chortled thickly.

Maya tapped her fingers on the side of her utility belt and sucked in a long, contemplative breath. A small grin cracked her perfect lips and she shook her head in defeat. She knew there would be no arguing with the ex-Dahl soldier. Arguments with Axton went on for days, and you never really 'won' them, no-matter how hard you tried.

"Fine Axton. Fine. You win, let's go get some breakfast you great ape." Maya sighed punching his shoulder softly and lending him a small smile.

Axton offered her a brilliant, million dollar, pretty boy smile in return.

"There we go siren. I knew you'd come around. Can't go running away out into the wild without a little breakfast in your belly." Axton chuckled draping an arm around the much smaller woman's shoulder and ushering her out the door.

Moxxi's wasn't particularly packed, it never really was in the mornings, most people were too hung over from spending the night before at the bar to mosey on back to it for breakfast. Axton slid lazily into a booth at the back of the old, dimly lit building, the worn, red, faux leather seat groaning with his weight. Maya scooted into the bench seat across from the commando and dropped her pack underneath the table to get the weight off her back. She sighed and ran slim fingers through her short cropped hair, ruffling her bangs back out of her thin face and looking to her counterpart through tired lashes.

Axton offered her a lopsided little grin and before he could ask all the questions welled up on his tongue, a familiar figure was sashaying toward their table. Moxxi was the type of woman that didn't just 'walk' anywhere. She floated. Simply glided across the ground like some gorgeous otherworldly creature. Her slightly curled, dark locks bounced and swayed with every throw of her hips, her boots clacking the old floor lightly. She made her way to the booth and leaned down over the table, giving a good eyeful of her cleavage to the young vault hunters. Axton's eyes were immediately drawn into the tempting gravitational pull of the luscious woman's rack. She shifted slightly, heavily darkened lashes flicking up to the commando teasingly, catching his wandering eyes skillfully.

"You like whatcha see sugar?" Moxxi asked him coyly and Axton's eyes snapped up to her face a thin hue of blush running rampant across his tanned cheeks.

"I-uh..I yes ma'm…I mean no ma'm…I mean…sorry ma'm…" Axton stuttered dumbly running a nervous hand along his unshaven jaw.

Moxxi just threw him a full, teasing grin that parted her big red lips beautifully.

"Don't worry about it cutie. I don't mind something as easy on the eyes as you are getting a little peek." She whispered winking, causing Axton's cheeks to deepen in color just a tad.

"So what can I get for you two? Little breakfast date hmmm lovebirds?" Moxxi teased coyly her voice pouring out like silk and honey.

Maya snorted and shook her head violently.

"Date? Hell no." Maya retorted sharply.

Moxxi simply laughed at the siren's response.

"Just a Thresher steak for me. And something non-alcoholic please." Maya said softly looking fondly at the eccentric woman still leaned casually over the booth.

"Make that two." Axton added onto the comment nodding slightly.

"Two Thresher steaks and two apple ciders coming up." Moxxi said cheerily.

"By the way Ax, I'm liking the gruff look. You might wanna keep that going, always liked being kissed by a man with a beard, so rough and rugged feeling on my lips…" Moxxi whispered seeming to trail off for a moment.

"And you take that whichever way you want sugar…maybe stop by after closing sometime, and we'll figure out which lips you like kissin' more cutie." Moxxi added with a blown kiss to the commando and a wink.

Axton swallowed hard and shot her a pretty grin.

"Sure thing Mox. I'll show you the way a _real _man kisses." He chuckled draping a thick arm along the back of the bench seat.

Maya snorted and shook her head at her counterpart.

"Manwhore." Maya giggled eyeing Axton teasingly.

Axton shrugged acceptingly at the accusation.

"Yeah yeah well I can't argue with that I guess." Axton admitted openly scratching his beard a little a smile still clinging to his lips.

It wasn't long before two plates full of food were slid over the table to the two vault hunters, accompanied by two large mugs of apple cider to match. Then Moxxi was gone again, offering them both a wink and a flick of her hair. Silence settled over the two vault hunters, the sounds of silverware clinking against plates and knives slicing through meat being the only thing filling the void. Axton popped an oversized bite of meat into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully, his eyes slowly shifting to the woman sitting before him, observing the hurried way she ate. She ate like someone could come snatch her food away at any given moment, and on Pandora it was a very real possibility. Maya was one of the toughest gals Axton knew, and that was saying something since really his entire world was made up of rough and rowdy women. But Maya was different. There was more to her than what she portrayed to the world. She was just as gentle as she was tough. There was one time, so long ago, when they had first made it onto this planet together, Axton had gone a nasty round with a flurry of Rakk. They'd torn his arms all to pieces, opening him up like a god damned Christmas present. Maya had changed his bandages after Zed had patched him up and instructed the dressings needed to be freshened daily. She'd sat on Axton's bed with him, un-wrapping the oozy, bloody wrappings without so much as a sour face. They'd smelled awful, full of rot and old blood. But Maya had never flinched, she'd undone the bandages, cleaned his wounds, and re wrapped them all with a straight face full of nothing but conversation. She'd patted his shoulder where it wasn't wounded and told him he wasn't allowed to fall apart on her just yet. Axton had leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. He didn't exactly know why. It had been a whole lot of reasons he supposed. She was absolutely gorgeous, she was witty and intelligent, she was caring and kind, and she actually gave enough of a shit about him to tend to his wounds. The siren had only stiffened at the advancement, her fingers curling in the bedding gently. When Axton pulled back, Maya had looked at him through dark lashes. She'd smiled at him fondly and simply stated "You get one of those. The next time, I'll slap you into next week." And that had been that. Axton had chuckled and accepted that this gorgeous, wonderful woman would not be falling for any of his tricks anytime soon. So a friendship had blossomed, like some budding, vine filled, twisting thing. It was as complex as it was easy. Unlikely but wonderful in the very same breath.

"So what's been on your mind sweetness? And don't say nuthin' because I know better." Axton questioned suddenly, pausing to take a long swig from his mug.

The grizzled man wiped a little overspill from the corner of his mouth and blinked over at the siren intelligently.

"I know the past couple of weeks have been rough on us all…but you seem to be taking it harder than all of us…is there somethin' more goin' on Maya? You know you can talk to me about anything right?" Axton said his voice lowering into the intimate space of just him and her.

Maya felt her breath catch in her throat, her finger pausing as she brought a forkful of food to her mouth. She let the utensil clatter back down onto the plate and sighed out. Axton was good at that, seeing through her like glass. He saw right through her little facades every single time without fail.

"I've just…had a lot on my mind." Maya whispered.

For the first time in a long time she allowed her mind to wander backward. To that night at the inn...To the drunken confessions, to bad decisions, to meaningful sex, to whispered talk of love, to scars of the past being revealed, to kisses too intimate for people like them. Vault hunters and dictators did not love. That was not in their makeup. This was not supposed to be a problem. This had never been a problem until recently. Jack had always held true to his end of the deal, yet now…now all the lines were getting blurred. Jack had crossed the line. Handsome Jack was not supposed to _feel _anything. Handsome Jack was not supposed to _love _anything but murder, disaster and bloodshed. How dare he say such a thing to Maya? He knew the rules, and yet he didn't play by them. She suddenly felt incredibly stupid for ever thinking he would in the first place. Handsome Jack did not play by any rules except his own. Handsome Jack made the rules, he did not obey them. She allowed her thoughts to dwell on all the missed echo messages stacked up on the device at her side. She imagined most were from him, and she had not answered a one of them. She supposed he was watching her at times, having that whole access to the entire echo net thing going on and all. She had made sure to turn her echo device off so he could not watch her through it. She supposed he could still see her through Axton's if he had his on…but at this point she didn't much care.

Axton grunted and nodded understandingly.

"Care to share?" Axton pressed gently looking to Maya with curious eyes.

Maya sighed. She wished she could tell Axton everything. Really she could. Really she probably should…but not now, not here. The time wasn't right, nor was the place. She would leave pieces out of this little tale, leave holes in the structure of it, for her safety and Axton's.

"Have you…have you ever been in love Axton?" Maya whispered softly her eyes downcast to the table top.

Axton nearly choked on his mouthful of cider, spitting some back into the mug, coughing, and pounding on his chest a little. He looked at Maya with big eyes, curious and confused. His eyelids fell closed a tad and he chuckled lightly then, letting the question sink in thoroughly.

"Well I was married…so yeah I'd say I was in love with her. For a while at least ya know." Axton said his voice falling a bit, his thick fingers coming to worry the diamond ring around his neck between them instinctively.

"What was…it like?" Maya breathed looking at him with sparkling eyes.

Axton chewed his bottom lip and little and let the ring fall back onto his uniform front once more.

"Well, in the beginning…it was amazing. There aint nuthin' on this planet that can compare to that feeling. It just feels good. Really good. Like you're untouchable. Doesn't matter what anybody else thinks, you just feel light and wonderful. Nothing else matters. Knowing you're important to someone in ways you can't even begin to fully explain. Knowing someone else's world revolves around you, that's a damn good feeling." Axton said his face falling a little.

Maya knew Sarah was a hard subject for Axton. He'd loved her, she'd left him. End of story.

Rough stuff for such a young gun, and it was weird seeing him strained by old hurt. Not much bothered the commando, but this subject did, and Maya was sorry for bringing it up, but she had to. She didn't know where else to turn.

"How do you know…if you're in…love?" Maya asked softly.

Axton chuckled at her question. The woman may have been tough, and strong and agile…but sometimes she was so naïve about the strangest of subjects…love apparently being one of them. She had grown up in an abbey, so somehow her limited knowledge on this didn't surprise Axton. His mind trailed off into questioning if she may in fact still be a virgin? Axton's train of thought wandered into that path for much longer than he should have let it.

Maya snapped her fingers and Axton shook himself out of it.

He smiled peevishly and traced his fingers down the side of his sweating mug, the digits coming away cool and wet.

"You'll know. When you think about em' your belly does all these flip flops and shit. When you see them your heart races. When you hear their voice you feel home. When you feel their touch, it's like flames against your skin. When you kiss…it's like a super nova." Axton said shaking his head.

Maya blinked slowly and scrunched up her nose.

"Wow Ax…that was actually kinda poetic…" Maya chuckled.

Axton let loose of a large belch and clunked his mug down loudly.

"Yeah I know, what can I say I'm a real romantic." Axton chortled grinning.

Maya just rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Oh yeah, real romantic lemme tell you about it." Maya snorted taking a sip from the lip of her own mug.

"So what's with the questions about love all the sudden?" Axton said tilting his head at the siren.

Maya sighed heavily.

"Well I uh…I've kinda been…I guess you could say seeing someone. It wasn't supposed to be anything other than sex at first. No strings attached you know? It's just easier that way." Maya began slowly.

Axton nearly choked on his spit, coughing out loudly and looking to her in surprise.

"So you…you totally aren't a virgin? Pffftt and all this time I thought-" Axton questioned brazenly.

Maya shot him a dirty look over her cider.

"You thought I was a virgin!?" Maya barked throwing her hands up.

"Well hell I mean… yeah? You said you grew up in an abbey and well…you didn't exactly show much interest in any of the guys around here! I mean you totally shot me down that was for sure…" Axton chuckled sheepishly.

Maya huffed out and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh so because I wouldn't sleep with you, that instantly makes me some prude or a virgin?" Maya snarled rolling her eyes playfully.

"Well I mean that must have been what it was since you didn't want all of _this." _Axton teased gesturing to himself wryly.

Maya rolled her eyes so hard for a moment Axton feared they might bounce right out of the young woman's head.

"You tried to pick me up with the line 'you're totally on my list of things to do tonight'." Maya snorted cocking a thin eyebrow at the commando.

Axton broke out in hearty laughter and banged his fist on the table a little.

"Oh c'mon, in my defense I'd had a few to drink. That's golden material Maya just so you know." Axton countered grinning widely.

"Right." Maya replied.

"So…well…who is he?" Axton asked suddenly.

Great. The one question she'd been avoiding. Maya sighed out long and low.

"I can't tell you that. All part of the 'secret' agreement." Maya whispered.

Axton nodded thoughtfully.

"Right right, gotcha. So ya'll are fuck buddies…what's wrong with that?" Axton questioned slowly.

"There wasn't anything wrong with that…until well things starting getting complicated. Like he started getting weird. More attached than what was originally agreed upon. Those old rules started getting blurred. I stayed the night…I should have never stayed the night…" Maya whispered.

Axton cocked a thick eyebrow at her.

"Was that when Lilith gave you all that hell for not returning to Sanctuary when you said you would?" Axton questioned.

Maya nodded feebly and ran her thumb over the handle of her mug absent mindedly.

"Well there's nothing wrong with you know…developing feelings for the guy. Unless you don't feel that way about him and you just wanted to get laid? If that's the case you shoulda just come to me." Axton chuckled loudly.

Maya shook her head at him and smiled. At least even when things were hard Axton could still get her laughing, she supposed that was half the reason why she enjoyed his company so much.

"I don't know how to feel I guess. The last time was where it all got really confusing I guess. I got really drunk her got really drunk…he told me he loved me and I…I told him I loved him too…" Maya said her tone thick with defeat.

Axton furrowed his eyebrows together softly and shrugged his shoulders up causally.

"And? So what? You love him? What's wrong with that?" Axton said tipping his mug back and draining it dry in one gulp.

Maya shook her head violently.

"No. Vault hunters aren't supposed to fall in love. That just makes everything complicated. I should have never said I loved him…I shouldn't have been so stupid. All of this is stupid…" Maya snarled curling her fingers into a tight fist.

"I shouldn't love him." Maya whispered her words trailing off into fleeting breaths.

"Why not? There aint a thing wrong with all that you know. We're vault hunters…not emotionless monsters incapable of love." Axton snorted.

Maya looked to her counterpart with solemn eyes. God if only he knew. IF only he knew the truth. He'd most likely abandon her, or bring her to Roland telling him tales of her treason. She wasn't just in love with anybody. She was in love with a monster. She was in love with Handsome Jack. Maya caught her breath at the thought, for the first time the reality really setting in. She may have been drunk, but those words had indeed meant something. There had been truth behind them. But she was afraid. For good reason. She was afraid because it was wrong, and because it was Jack and the entire thing could just be one very over dramatic trap to claim her for his own. This could all just be his trickery. This could all be lies. But what if…what if it wasn't. Maya shook her head. The look in Jack's eyes when she'd left had been answer enough. Those words were not lies, and she knew that. Dammit she did, she'd just spent the past two months convincing herself otherwise. Maya had never loved before, and it was new and frightening. Even more so that the object of her affection was an utter betrayal of everything she was.

She did not want to love him. Because loving him disrupted the balance of everything. It shattered her world all to pieces and she was not sure she was ready for all of that. Axton had given her all the advice he possibly had with a wide grin and glittering eyes. He'd hugged her when she left Moxxi's and left her with reassuring words just like he always did. Axton was a good man.

Maya paused in the sea of frozen tundra, stopping to look up into the pale cyan skies washing down over her.

Love was a really stupid thing.


	10. It's Dark Out There in Space

It's Dark Out There in Space

The land splayed out before Maya like a great blanket of tundra, spreading over the hills for as far as her eye could see. This was familiar territory, a place she'd been so many times before. She didn't need a map, she knew her way like the back of her hand. This place was comforting and this place was right. This place was wild, just as wild an untamed as she was and she belonged out here. This was her territory. Her boots found the rocky side of a large hill that reached skyward, the massive rocks jutting out of the earth wildly. Without a second thought she began to climb, all hands and legs, fingers grasping the rough rock, boots finding good holds as she climbed. The world was different from up here. She paused to look down at the world she'd left behind her, the cool breeze whispering through her hair like an old friend. It whispered to her all the things she'd missed and it welcomed her back with eager arms.

Maya closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh air deeply, letting the wind brush over her face and soak down into her bones. She let loose of her deep breath and continued to climb, fingers steady over the rock beneath her, body knowing what to do and the actions to take. She went on instinct, trusting herself to know the way.

When Maya finally reached the top, she stood there for a moment, looking out over the world below her, it seemed so far away then, like there was this great line dividing the land from the sky and she was part of both. Nothing made her feel more free than to be up here, to see everything from a rakk's view, to watch the world from such a grand perspective.

She slowly made her way across the tops of the rocks, her pace slow as she began looking for the downward path that would lead her into the secluded valley on the other side. The siren's eyebrows pushed together as she came to the path entrance. There was something there she did not remember, a large sign of some sort. Maya began toward the unfamiliar billboard and as she grew closer it became more apparent to her that this was no ordinary sign. It was Hyperion. The bright yellow, high-tech holographic sign flickering in the daylight.

What the fuck was Hyperion doing way up here in the mountains? Maya thought to herself irritably. Hyperion just couldn't fucking keep their noses out of anything. Maya's eyes widened suddenly. Her pack of Skags, she'd told Jack about them, and the rare black gene. What if…they'd come in and confiscated them…taken them for testing.

"No…" Maya whispered jogging toward the sign angrily.

Her brain was wild with worry as she finally made it over to the billboard. That fucking backstabber, she'd trusted him! She never would have told him any of that if she'd known he'd do this to her. How could he do this!? Fury bubbled up through Maya's chest, her footsteps slowing as she approached the sign. But her look of anger, quickly melted into some strange form of surprise. Maya was met with a holographic picture of a well depicted black skag, and underneath the bold letters read "PROTECTED WILDLIFE AREA. TRESPASSING IS FORBIDDEN. AREA CONTAINED BY HYPERION."

Maya stood there for a moment watching the sign flicker in its digital state. Was this…Jack's doing? Maya shook her head violently. He was the only other person that knew about this pack of animals…it couldn't be anybody else. Maya pressed onward, ignoring the warning sign. This was her pack, and she would go to them if she so wished. She was pretty sure if this was Jack's doing she had a little leeway with the whole 'no trespassing thing'. She slowly made her way down into the valley, her pace cautious and wary. It had been a long time since she'd been here, and she needed to take things very slow. Maya lurked down into the maze of jagged rocks, eyes watchful and on alert as she went. Suddenly there was a little growl to her left. Maya stopped dead in her tracks and gently looked over her shoulder. She came face to face with an overly familiar hulking beast. Azar. A large Male skag that served as the sort of second in command to the alpha. He was a dark brown in coloration, except for a large white splotch over his right eye. Maya let a slim smile break her lips and she crouched down on her knees, offering a hand to the big male in a welcoming fashion.

"Hey big guy. Long time no see." Maya whispered kindly.

The big animal seemed to ease at her voice, a fond chirp coming from his vibrating jaws. With that the big animal was galloping over to the siren, rubbing up against her almost too roughly and nearly knocking her over. Maya stood and petted her palms all over the big beast, laughing as he squirmed and purred, making loving little noises to her as she scratched behind his massive head and up underneath his jaws. Maya patted him kindly and allowed him to lick underneath her chin in a submissive fashion.

"How have things been biggin'?" She asked and the animal only quivered his jaws in response.

The sounds from the big male had attracted the attention of the others, movement coming forth from the rock slow and cautious. Maya followed alongside the male, smiling as the other beasts recognized her and came to greet her as well. Maya cooed and talked to each one like she would any other old friend. These beasts were friends. They were all so different, with personalities all their own. Maya was caught in a big pile of chirping animals, each one wanting to get to her and greet her accordingly. Maya giggled and smiled as they rubbed against her and kissed at her uniform, sniffing her and assessing her diligently.

That was when Maya's eyes raised and met with two glowering coal eyes, so intelligent and lovely. Maya would know those eyes anywhere. Razz. The Alpha female.

Maya sucked in a sharp breath and made her way through the rest of the pack, walking steadily to the cave mouth where the big female skag stood. They locked eyes, accessing one another diligently. Maya hit her knee slowly, bowing to the queen of the pack and giving her the recognition she needed. The big animal snorted in return and Maya met eyes with her once more, standing and making her way closer. There was a small bit of movement from behind the big girl and Maya's lips curled back in an overly joyous smile. Eight little eyes peered around their mother wary of this new, strange woman. Then one finally came forth, a jet black little pup with bright, curious eyes. His mother pushed him forward with her snout in a reassuring fashion and Maya giggled at the pup's hesitance.

"Hey there little one. I'm not gunna hurt you…" Maya whispered softly to the pup.

The little thing then finally made its way closer to her, looking at her curiously. Maya held out her hand and the pup sniffed it cautiously. Then it seemed to gain a little more confidence, pranced around Maya's hand and nibbled on her fingers slightly, leaving them wet and sticky. Maya smiled and gently scratched the soft spines on the pup's back getting a relaxed little growl from the tiny thing. Maya welcomed the little pup into her lap, plopping back on her rump and letting him run all over her uniform. The other pup's upon seeing their brother's bravery then took the initiative to join in greeting this weird looking newcomer. The pups galloped over to the siren, nipping at her sleeved and licking her belt curiously. Six of the eight pups were completely black, and the other two were a glorious combination of tawny and ebony spots. Maya felt herself welling with joy and pride. She just couldn't wrap her head around how this had happened. The last time she'd seen Razz she was incredibly sick with the disease running its course through the pack. The last time she'd left this place she had left knowing she would never see the female alive again. Razz lumbered over to the siren, shaking her spines a little and that was when Maya saw it. A small yellow tag clipped to one of the spines on her neck. Maya stood slowly and approached her running her fingers over the small tag.

It read "HYPERION #12"

A serial number, with a tracker no doubt. Maya had seen tags like these used before on some of the animals Hyperion used for testing. Maya's eyes swept over the pack. Each one of them had their own individual tag, pups included. But all seemed incredibly healthy. They hadn't been used for testing purposes that was for sure.

Maya paused and ran a hand through her hair. Jack. Jack had done this. All of this. Why she wasn't sure of. But somehow, some way she knew it was him. Maya took several steps and perched herself on a rock, folding her legs up to her body, the pups following suit and proceeding to climb into her lap once more. Maya reached into her pack and drug out her sketchbook, collecting a pencil to go with it. She flipped through the familiar pages and settled her utensil on the blank, off-white page. The sketches came easy, drawing in each new member to the pack. Naming each one accordingly. Her eyes darted over to the biggest of the skag pups, the little black one that had first approached her, who was busying himself with chewing on the corner of her sketchbook cover. Maya shook her head and chuckled. He was a feisty little thing, growling grumpily when she picked him up and made him let loose of his newfound chew toy.

The little skag looked at her with gleaming eyes, tilting his head to the side and taking up trying to chew at her sleeve hem instead. She rolled her eyes. Stubborn little thing. Maya put the finishing details on his sketch and smiled to herself as she tapped her pencil against her lips.

"I think Jack is a good name for you little one." Maya whispered slowly scrawling the word beneath the sketch and pausing there for a moment.

She sighed slowly. Oh what had she done? Everything was just so screwed up…and it was all her fault. The image of Jack's face as she left was engrained within her mind, burned into her thoughts like a deep, old wound. Such a look of confusion, and sorrow. Such a look of utter broken disappointment and she had been the cause… She had to make this right. She needed to make this right. She had broken this all to pieces and she had to fix it now. She didn't even know where to start honestly. How did she even begin to fix all the mess she had made of things? Maya downcast her eyes sadly and gently ran her fingers through the small pup's spines. She didn't know how, not just yet…but she had to try. She had to mend all the broken ends.

It was late into the evening by the time Maya pried herself from the pack and made it back to the nearest civilization, The Happy Pig Motel. Maya wandered to the old motel and found herself roaming the small shop adjoined to the front office. It was just a knickknack shop, filled with trinkets that were really of no particular use to her on any normal day. She roamed the small shelves looking curiously a the little bells painted with depictions of different Pandoran landscapes, and small skag figurines. The older woman at the front desk watched Maya diligently, her beady little eyes kind behind her deep set wrinkles.

She said nothing to Maya, simply let her be. Maya was a little thankful for that. She didn't really want to have to explain why a Vault hunter like herself was wandering through a trinket shop. Maya crooned down to a small rack on the wall and smiled at her find. She gently picked up the little porcelain nightlight, painted with a picture of a two skags and a sunset behind them. She shook her head a little and turned the small souvenir over in her fingertips. She then wandered to the counter, looking up to meet eyes with the older woman gently. She placed the small night light down on the counter and smiled at the little woman.

"I'm going to need a room also if you have one available…and could I get that gift wrapped please?" Maya said smiling at her kindly.

The older woman nodded and wrapped Maya's small purchase in some protective, pretty orange paper and gently placed it in a gold trimmed box.

"I didn't think Vault hunters were afraid of the dark?" The older woman teased warmly.

Maya only chuckled in response.

"Oh I'm not. But I know someone who is." Maya laughed softly.

Two days later:

"So…you mean to tell me that an entire truckload of eridium has just poof! Disappeared?" The older man spat leaning forward in his desk chair, his fingers curled around the echo device in his hand.

"S-Sir the shipment was comprehended in a bandit raid…we haven't been able to track it…" The timid voice on the other end of the echo squeaked.

"Don't give me that 'we couldn't track it' bullshit! Get me loaders down there and get me some men on it, NOW! I want every last bit of that stolen eridium back in Hyperion hands by TODAY! Or so help me I will personally shove my boot so far up your ass all you'll be tasting for weeks is SKAG SKIN LEATHER!" The CEO bellowed cutting the echo off and slamming the device down on his desk, causing a towering pile of paper to teeter and scatter to the floor like a flurry of frightened birds.

"FUCK!" He exclaimed running his hands through his wild hair irritably.

Incompetent idiots, all of them. God they just made it so fucking hard to run a goddamned company efficiently. He'd spent all day trying to figure out what happened to the whole load of eridium that was supposed to be heading to Opportunity and now he was left with a ton of unfinished paper work that he should have been completed hours ago.

Jack leaned back in his chair, the furniture creaking with his weight and he thudded his heavy boots up on his desk, taking little care for the spread paperwork there. At this point he just didn't give a shit. God he could really just strangle the next fucking idiot that walked through his door, really he could. He closed his eyes just for a moment, and as if on cue, the hydraulic doors to his office slid open with a mechanical hiss. There was the clack of heels nearing his desk and Jack groaned out, worrying his thumb and forefinger against his temples irritably.

"Sir…" Came the meek voice of his personal assistant.

"What, what! Don't tell me, something _else _is falling apart am I right? What's it gunna be next? Helios just fucking falling right out of the sky?" Jack snapped never even looking at his petrified assistant.

The woman just stood there timidly, mouth opening, then closing once more. The president had been in an absolutely _horrid _mood for what felt like months. He'd strangled three workers in the past week alone and the blonde, frail looking woman was on point to fear for her life at that very moment. When Jack's answer never came, he leaned his head off the back of his chair and thrust out an impatient hand in his assistant's direction.

"Well!? C'mon cupcake I don't have all fucking day!" Jack snapped looking at her with wildly un-amused orbs.

The assistant seemed to jump a little where she stood and nearly dropped the small, golden box wrapped tight in her fingers.

"Y-You have…a p-package sir…" The woman stuttered her voice shaking like a dead leaf in the breeze.

Jack cocked an eyebrow in her direction and held out his hand.

"Huh. Bring it here. I hope it's chocolate or something. I'm fucking starving." Jack snarled as the meek assistant scrambled around his desk and placed the package in his open palm.

Jack tilted it a little in his hands and shook it gingerly, hearing something rattle around within its confines. He furrowed his eyebrows together sharply and looked to the assistant curiously.

"Who's it from?" Jack snapped in her direction suddenly.

"I-Uh, it does not say sir. It just has a Pandoran address." His assistant squeaked.

Jack made an understanding noise in his throat and turned the package over slowly.

"Ok, you can go now, chop, chop, and bring me some fresh coffee would ya? That shit you brought me earlier tasted like ass." Jack snarled at his assistant and instantly the sound of frantic heels echoed through his office, followed by the bang closing doors.

Jack leaned forward just a tad in his chair and turned to face the large windows instead of his office. His eyes drawled over the neatly wrapped little package, fingers sliding over the gold trimmed surface curiously. The glow of Elpis shone through the space windows, glittering stars illuminating his office like some grand thing. The view from Helios down on Pandora was something to be withheld. It was breathtaking on most days…but lately Jack had only found it to be a painful reminder of the events that had played out the last time he'd been down on the wretched planet. He hadn't set foot on Pandora since. Hadn't been back to Opportunity in two months. It was just easier that way. He just didn't want to deal with what all had happened really. So he ran from it. Ran back to Helios, ran back to space, as far away as he could get from the painful memories. It was stupid anyway really. To think she'd be different. They were all the same.

Bandits. All fucking ruthless heathens. That was all she was. He'd been an idiot to think otherwise.

Jack blinked slowly at the window and tore his gaze from the planet irritably. His thick fingers went to the package settled in his lap and he slowly began to strip off the tape holding its sides together. He wriggled the top of the gift box off and set it on his desk neatly. He cocked his head to the side when his eyes settled over the contents. There was a small object wrapped in orange at the bottom and several pieces of paper folded together on top. Jack took the pieces of paper out of the box and unfolded them slowly.

It was a letter.

Neat handwriting scrawled across soft sketchbook paper that danced across the page like little living things.

_Jack, _

_I'm sorry for everything. I understand if you don't want to forgive me. I understand if you never want to see me again. But we need to talk about this. I'm ready to talk about it now. I want to fix what I broke and I hope you will let me. Also thank you for what you did. I know what you did, healing the skags and making sure they were protected. Razz had her litter. Eight pups, six black, two a mix. I don't think you know how much that meant to me. So thank you. Echo me. I promise to answer this time. _

_-Maya_

Jack's fingers were still on the paper for a very long time, eyes reading over the short note again and again. Hanging on every word, his breath catching in his throat. Finally he flipped to the next page of the letter.

It was a small sketch of a little black skag pup, with the name Jack beneath it and a small note from Maya.

_This one is a stubborn little shit, so I named him after you. _

Jack leaned on his elbow and broke out in hearty chuckles, the corners of his mouth pulling up into an amused little smile. Jack reached into the bottom of the box, and read the last note taped to the orange wrapped object.

_I know its dark up there in space. Figured you could use this. _

Jack carefully unwrapped the object and a bright, glorious grin spread across his cheeks as he got the paper loose. A fucking nightlight. A cheesy souvenir nightlight at that. Jack laughed loudly and leaned back in his chair shaking his head at the little token. He looked down the outlet on his desk and gently plugged the little light in, its brilliance shimmering over his messy desk brightly. He leaned his elbow on his desk, propping his chin up in his palm and smiled at the little gift.

"Oh Maya…" He whispered chuckling and reaching over to the echo device on his desk.


	11. All The Wild

All the Wild

Maya's feet beat across the dusty earth, the wind whipping up a fog of blinding sand and grit that invaded her eyes, mouth and nose. She rolled out of the way of a spray of bullets peppering the ground like bees and ducked behind an shack, her back slamming against the old tin. Her fingers tightened around the barrel of her Hyperion pistol, ready to pull the trigger at any moment. She spit into the dirt, coming away with the taste of nickel on her tongue. She was pretty sure she'd bitten the shit out of her cheek when she'd been knocked to the ground by a particularly ornery BUL-Loader. Her heart thundered in her chest, beating like a wild drum against all her ribs. Everything around her was moving at a whirlwind pace, everything quick and everything sporadic. The sounds of gunfire and detonating grenades shook her bones and the ground beneath her.

A large Hot-Loader rounded the corner spraying flames like some dragon come forth from its cave with a vengeance against the world. Maya's gun was already at the ready the second the beast came around the tin shack. A shot to the leg joint had it crumpling to the ground and two following shots to its single eye had it sputtering and dying on the earth before her. She made a mad dash up over its corpse, heavy boots pressing off the heap of metal and launching her up and over another approaching loader. Maya grabbed onto the machine's shoulders, shoving her gun directly into its eye and pulling the trigger. It sparked and stuttered before crashing down into a heap of useless metal.

Maya was in motion again then, eyes darting to find cover, dashing and sliding behind a pile of old Hyperion tech, her breath coming in short, shallow pants. The adrenaline of the fight had her moving a million miles a minute. Her body took over where her mind failed, instinct running her controls, informing her just how to move, just how to duck and dodge. It was all her wild need to fight and to shoot and to kill. That drove her as the battle waged on. It was like opening a can of worms, the second they had entered the Hyperion facility things had all gone to shit. There had been more loaders and more defenses than they had bargained for. A trap and they had taken the bait like stupid little mice looking for an easy meal. They'd taken the cheese and the trap had snapped closed on their little necks.

Maya reloaded her pistol and clipped it to her hip, clicking the safety into place. She snapped a grenade off her belt, pulled the pin, and let it fly over her shoulder. The child explosive grenades parted out like scattering animals, exploding individually and catching a hoard of loaders in a mass of fire and flames. Torgue grenades, you didn't get much better than that, well at least in the siren's opinion. She reached to her back and opted for her corrosive Maliwan SMG, spraying the few loaders that had survived the blast in metal eating bullets. The loaders might have been fast and strong, but her ammunition was faster, and stronger.

One step ahead that was the way it always had to be.

A flash of movement cut through the battlefield, flickering into view like some phantom come straight from thin air. Zero's blade sliced through the metal loader blocking his way and he continued through the mass of Hyperion robots with little resistance. Maya's eyes snapped to the figure approaching her. Axton slid through the dirt, ducking down next to Maya, reloading his shotgun with a loud crack. He snapped the barrel closed and looked to the siren, throwing her a dirt plastered grin. His face was half painted black, his hair sticking upward, half charred and soot soaked.

"Nice hair Ax." Maya chortled lifting up to fend off a loader that had began to wander too close.

Axton glared at her and rolled his pine colored eyes dramatically.

"Yeah trying out this new style called 'my grenade went off too early and nearly burnt me to a crisp'." He snarled reaching down to his utility belt and curling his big fingers around his turret.

He tossed the small thing out onto the battlefield, the mechanical beast whirring to life and unfolding to unload punishing rounds to the drones circling overhead like over eager buzzards.

"TURRET OUT!" Axton yelled over the chaos alerting his comrades to the new threat on the field.

There was a monstrous yell, signaling Salvador was going in guns blazing and then the sounds of loaders coming to pieces filled the air.

"The 'zerkers loose." Maya snarled looking over their hiding spot grinning.

With that there was a flash of red hair coming their way. Gaige stopped to look at the commando and the siren, her gun at the ready.

"I'm going up top to take out some of those snipers with DT! Keep the ground secured ya noobs!" She cackled wildly before disappearing off into the dust clouds in a blur of striped stockings.

Maya was just about to rise up to unload more fierce rounds into the robots moving in toward them when her echo device began to blink and vibrate on her hip. Maya snarled out and squeezed the trigger, popping off just enough bullets to bring down the loader that had landed just a few feet from them. It crashed to the ground hissing and dying, exposed wires sparking blue and vibrant.

Maya clicked her earpiece on the side of her head irritably.

Maya had convinced Axton to install a personal headset to her echo device a while back ago. It helped with making her conversations…more private.

"Siren 2 reporting, state your business, I'm a little busy here!" Maya snarled into the echo device, assuming it to be Roland or Lilith checking in on the team wanting to know how the mission was going.

"Well Handsome 1 to Siren 2, I'll be sure to make it quick kiddo." The voice on the other end teased gently.

Maya felt her breath catch in her throat, and her finger paused stupidly on the trigger as the voice swam through her eardrums. She paused for a moment to take a loader's limbs off and Axton finished it with a gut shot to the mechanical beast with his shotgun. Maya cursed loudly when a stray bolt zoomed past her and bounced off into the dirt.

"You have horrible timing." Maya hissed into the echo device quickly reloading her weapon and pressing her back flush to the unit she and the commando took cover behind.

"Oh did I catch you in the middle of laying waste to bandit scum?" Jack chuckled his tone smooth and sweet as it flowed over Maya's senses.

She'd missed that slow, easy, tone of his. She'd never admit that to his face of course. Not on his goddamned life. But she really had. Two months had indeed been a long time…it was nice…to hear his voice again. Maya shook her head a little. Dear god, gag me with a stick, she thought making a disgusted face. She didn't have time to get all soft and daydream focused right now that was for damned sure.

Maya squinted up her nose as she watched Axton lay waste to a passing drone, its pieces falling from the sky like stones and exploding into the charred ground beneath it.

"Uh not exactly." Maya whispered peevishly.

"Maya Badass loader! Get your rockets up sweetheart!" Axton bellowed snapping Maya out of her conversation harshly.

Maya quickly equipped her rocket launcher, loading it with the heavy ammo and jamming its chamber closed with her fist.

"Ready when you are!" Maya bellowed over the deafening noises of gunfire.

The big beast of a robot lumbered toward them, its mechanical joints groaning with each step, the two vault hunters holding steady waiting for it to come into decent range.

"Three, two, one, SHOOT BABY SHOOT!" Axton roared squeezing the trigger on his launcher with a deafening sound.

Maya did the same, the launcher kicking against her shoulder, jarring her just a little. Both rounds hit the mechanical monster and it stumbled backward, losing one of its massive arms in the pelting explosion.

"One more time!" Axton yelled and another flurry of rockets pelted the loader mercilessly, bringing it to the ground in a ball of twisting flames.

Maya reloaded her big weapon and sighed out loudly. She figured by that time Jack had already hacked into her echo feed and was watching as she and her team blew his loaders into next Wednesday. Well, not the greatest way to start off an 'apology' on her end that was for damned sure. Maya groaned.

"Really kiddo? I mean c'monnn what did those loaders ever do to you? You and your bandit buddies sure are making a damn mess of my facility." Jack growled lowly, but his tone did not seem completely angry, it only came off as mildly annoyed to Maya and she called that a small victory.

"Sorry honey, the loot and riches in those facilities is kinda too good to pass up, and I have already been nearly shot to shit one too many times by these stupid things. I'm not leaving without my reward." Maya hissed her tone playful and mild, trying to keep her voice down and not give off hints to her comrade as to who she was conversing with.

"Oh honey? So I get a pet name now? And if you would have just asked nicely I would have given you all the guns and money out of the safes in there and all this could have been avoided cupcake." Jack swooned his tone mimicking that of an offended child.

Maya chose not to address Jack's teasing over the slipped pet name and chuckled out lowly.

"And how exactly was I supposed to explain that one to my team sir?" Maya whispered into her mic lowly, cringing when a large explosion echoed up through the facility walls like a bomb having gone off.

"Oh just tell them Handsome Jack's sweet on you and was feeling especially generous today." Jack quipped chuckling low and dangerous.

Damn that laugh of his, Maya thought burying her lower lip between her perfect teeth viciously. The sound alone had Maya weak at the knees and this was not the time nor the place to be getting a case of the butterflies.

"I don't think that would have gone over very well." Maya hissed.

Axton looked at her with furrowed eyebrows as the siren bounced back and forth between talking into her echo and shooting the swarming loaders.

"Hey sweetheart this aint exactly the place for phone sex!" Axton barked cocking his weapon loudly.

"Shut up Ax!" Maya snarled kicking her leg out and sending it flying into Axton's knee.

The commando chuckled heartily and ducked around to pump an EXP-Loader full of lead before it managed to get around to them and detonate.

"You're buddy actually doesn't have a half bad sense of humor pumpkin." Jack chuckled on the other end and Maya groaned out lowly.

"Can I call you back?" Maya breathed outwardly.

"Even better, meet me at the usual spot at nine. We'll talk this out in person…you know when you aren't demolishing thousands of dollars worth of my Hyperion robots and all." Jack interjected a slight hint of annoyance clinging to the end of his sentence.

Maya was suddenly very grateful for being under Jack's ridiculous good graces. Not a lot of people could get away with her amount of absolute nonsense and live to tell the tale. She was lucky she hadn't caught to business end of Jack's fondness for strangling those that disobeyed him yet.

"What's wrong baby, you never had a high maintenance expensive girlfriend before?" Maya hissed as she dropped another loader to the dusty ground in a flurry of shells and sparks.

"Girlfriend…? And I'm used to spending thousands of dollars in _gifts _on them. Not spending thousands of dollars on the things they've _destroyed. _You're doing it wrong kitten." Jack snarled and Maya could practically hear him rolling his eyes through the echo device.

"Goodbye sir." Maya said moving to hang up the call.

"See you at nine siren." Jack sighed smoothly.

"Nine it is." Maya repeated before clicking the echo off and catching Axton's devious glare from her left.

"Hot date tonight?" Axton cooed making kissing lips at her childishly.

Maya just shot him an un-amused glare and huffed out loudly.

"What are you five?" She snarled.

"Six actually." Axton sniggered loudly.

The group didn't return to Sanctuary until well past four. They'd dragged themselves in the doors to headquarters dirty, tired, covering in oil, grease, blood and only god knew what else. They were a sorry sight, but their pockets were full and their packs were bursting with enough weapons to supply a small army. There were smiles plastered over their faces, sleepy, exhausted smiles, but all the same they were expressions of victory and a mission gone well. Roland seemed pleased with the damage done to the facility and the lack of casualties on their side. Maya was relieved the mission had gone so well. This had Roland in a good mood, along with the rest of the team. This meant they would most likely be out celebrating tonight as a result, and that would render them too drunk to really notice Maya's absence.

Maya slipped in for a quick shower, freshening her blood splattered, dirt painted body, running the pitiful excuse for a bar of soap up her long legs and allowing the suds to run down her slim form. She wasn't about to go meet Jack in a completely pitiful state, she figured the sorry excuse for a shower was better than absolutely nothing.

The siren dragged herself out of the shared shower and wrapped herself in an old towel, the faded colors encasing her in its scratchy folds. Maya rounded the corner to her room and nearly ran smack into the brutish form of the commando.

Axton jumped backward in surprise and Maya clung to her towel defensively.

"Shit, sorry, my bad." Axton chuckled as Maya readjusted her covering, making sure to keep herself decent.

"You almost made me freaking drop my towel." Maya snarled rolling her eyes.

"Now that would have been a _real _shame now wouldn't it?" Axton teased winking at her coyly.

Maya sighed and rolled her eyes at the commando.

"You wanna do me a huge favor?" Maya asked chewing her lip, her grey eyes meeting with Axton's for a moment.

Axton leaned casually on the wall, his face still covered in remnants from the day's battle, his uniform still stained in a whole rainbow of funk and substances.

"Dunno, depends on what it is?" Axton quipped cocking a thick eyebrow at the much shorter siren standing before him.

"Wait, wait, wait…lemme guess. You want me to cover for you while you sneak off to see your little lover boy? Yeah?" Axton sneered his smile a mile wide.

Maya let her shoulders drop in a defeated fashion.

"Pretty much." Maya whispered shrugging.

Axton folded his arms across his broad chest and sniggered softly.

"Don't worry. I've got this. I'll just tell them you weren't feeling so good and taking shots at Moxxi's until you pass out didn't sound too great to you." Axton said smiling fondly down at his teammate.

"Even though that's exactly what I'm gunna be doing. I plan to drink so much I'll still be shit faced when the sun comes up." Axton chortled loudly.

"That's very mature Ax." Maya teased lightly shaking her head a little.

"But seriously thank you. You cover my ass way more than anybody else around here…" Maya sighed frowning for a moment.

Axton gently nudged her chin with his fist playfully.

"Uh duh cause that's what best buddies do!?" Axton chuckled.

Maya smiled at him brilliantly. Friendship was hard to find on this planet. The strange bond formed between her and the commando was unexpected and foreign, but it was good and true. It was something she could count on, and that was exactly what she needed in this hell hole of a world. A damned good friend. That's what Axton was.

"You're a good guy Axton." Maya whispered to the big man before her.

"And I would hug you…but uh, I'd drop my towel…" Maya added peevishly.

"Not that I would complain about that." Axton teased throwing her a sly wink and a grin.

"Pig." Maya threw the insult out playfully.

Axton paused for a moment and held his palm up to her coyly, signaling he wanted some sort of high five.

"To getting laid tonight." Axton said grinning.

Maya clapped her palm against his and turned to sashay away slyly.

"To getting laid." Maya called over her shoulder deviously.

Axton shook his head and whistled playfully.

"You know I hate him right!? Whoever he is, it just aint fair you know!" Axton called down the hallway teasingly.

Maya paused to blow Axton a kiss and fanned her long lashes at him playfully.

"Sorry big boy." Maya laughed heartily at the cheesy façade.

Axton gripped his chest like he'd been shot in the heart and feigned distress dramatically.

"Oh baby you are killing me Maya! Killing me!" Axton pleaded shaking his head at her in a scolding fashion.

Maya only laughed in response and continued down the hall, disappearing into her room swiftly.

The night was quiet, heavy, and beautiful. The darkness fell thick over Maya's shoulders, settling on her like some sort of heavy coat. The feeling of scrambled innards passed slowly as she gained her bearings clumsily. She leaned heavily on a boulder in the near vicinity, waiting out the nausea and trying to beat down the urge to vomit down onto the ground. She clutched her stomach hard and closed her eyes tightly, the world around her still spinning wildly. Finally she was able to pull herself together enough to achieve motion and she sucked in a large breath of fresh evening air. The fast travel flickered behind her dauntingly and she cursed it under her breath. You'd think Hyperion could come up with a method of travel that didn't leave you feeling like shit warmed over after every use. She'd remember to complain to Jack about that later. Maya pushed her bangs back into place and sighed out as her stomach settled down and she finally felt well enough to move.

She sighed out loudly and ran her fingers through her blue locks, staring skyward for a moment, soaking in all the millions of stars winking down at her like playful little things. Helios sat dormant in the night sky like some guardian watching over the stars, not so old, but oh so knowledgeable. Maya let loose of a slim breath through her nostrils. What would it be like to be up there in that great big space station, looking down on the planet with such a glorious view? What was it like to see Pandora in all its grand nature from so far away where none of the dangers could touch you? It must have been otherworldly up there, nestled amongst the flurries of planets and glittering luminaries like something that simply had always belonged. Technology splashed across the most ancient of things, intruding into an old world that had existed since the beginning of time. Maya stood bathed in the awe of it all, the wonders of space consuming her for a second.

She wondered what it would be like, to be Jack, spending half his time up there in space looking down on this planet like he owned it. Well…he was technically on his way to actually claiming it as his own if she was going to be totally honest with herself. What would be like to _own _a planet? Power like that was beyond Maya. Even though some could argue that her own powers were far greater anything that could be achieved through wealth and dictatorship….she didn't feel all that powerful. She just felt like any other bandit inhabiting this dusty planet, scrounging to survive. Day to day life just consisted of survival…and that was it. Well…at least that was how it had been…until all of this happened, all these strange forms of emotion. Maya's life had been so simple so many months ago. Wake, sleep, eat, hunt bounties, get rich, repeat. That was it, nothing much more to it.

Now it was all so much more than that, now it was all so much more frightening, and glorious and new.

Maya drew in a big breath, taking it from the night around her and filling her lungs to their capacity before releasing it back from which it came.

Then her boots were in motion, heavy, eager footsteps across the landscape and hills. She went with destination. She went with a quick pace and a stomach full of nerves. There wasn't enough muster in her to bury all of them this time around. This time felt different than all the times previous. This time was so different.

Maya rounded topped the hill and stared outward at the view she held so dear…Opportunity and all its wonder spanning out across a planet so dead with so much potential. Her eyes scanned down to the base of the rising earth, only to find a sleek black vehicle already waiting for her on the old dirt road, headlights dimmed and engine quiet.

A vibrant smile broke across Maya's lips and before she could even stop herself from doing so, she was running down the hill, boots scraping and shifting the rugged earth, legs struggling to keep her from just tumbling all the way down. She hit the bottom with a great thud and jogged to the silent car, the door already coming up and open in anticipation of her presence. Maya slid into the passenger seat, and before better judgment or self control or anything else could stop her she was across the center console and crawling into the familiar lap of the man in the driver's seat. He made a noise in his throat that registered as possibly surprise, possibly lust it was hard to tell at that point. Big hands came to wrap around her body, the car door shutting gently trapping the two of them within its cab. Trapping wasn't truly a correct word, they wanted to be there, pressed together like two halves to some ridiculous whole. Maya's lips pressed into his wanting and needing. She tilted her head as he lifted his and their teeth clacked together loudly, neither party seeming to care, nor give the slight pain a passing thought. Hands touched and grabbed at each other frantically, pulling at clothing and clawing at skin. It was like two animals let loose on one another, all fangs and talons. Jack groaned against her, the sound heavy as it vibrated up off his throat and kissed along Maya's lips. She moved against him, body lithe and powerful, legs spread across his lap, combat boots scraping patches of dirt across the interior but Jack did not seem to care. He was too enthralled by the woman having thrust herself upon him like it was to be her last moment on earth.

No words were spoken. None were needed.

Gasps and sounds of utter ecstasy filled the empty space where conversation normally was. They panted into each other's personal space hotly, the interior of the cab quickly becoming warm around them. Maya's tongue explored the hollows of Jack's mouth, tongue running along his teeth, his lips coming to suck around her lithe anatomy.

She vaulted into his grip, spine elongating gracefully, hands twisted into his dark brunette locks. Her fingernails scraped scalp as she pulled possibly a little too hard and Jack let an embarrassing moan pass his parted lips. It was sweet and gorgeous on her ears. The sounds he made when she moved in just the right way, touched just perfect, kissed just hard enough. It had felt like ages. Like it was something that had almost been forgotten and this was a frantic attempt to refresh her memory.

Maya hastily kicked off her boots and socks, letting them drop down into the floorboards of the driver's seat. Bare toes pressed into the side of the car door, hips still so very frantic and lips even more so. Suddenly it did not matter that they were in the middle of nowhere, in a car on an old dirt road never traveled. Maya pushed the thoughts of being so vulnerable out of her head, pushed aside all the thoughts of bandits and bloodshed and gun fights. It didn't matter that this was not the place to be doing this, it did not matter that this was dangerous. She had never felt so very fucking alive. Everything within her seemed to come into vivid light, so glorious and bright and warm.

Jack's hands were at her pants zipper, undoing it hastily, taking lead as to where this was going and where he wanted it to go. She wanted it to go there too. She wanted it so badly. Dear god she wanted nothing more than this, this moment that was hot and sticky and wild. Maya crooned up on the seat, clumsily trying to get her combat pants off her legs, scrambling against Jack, his fingers helping her to struggle and tug. A flying elbow nearly caught him in the nose and Jack reared back just barely avoiding the blow. It didn't deter him much, body still pressed so close to the siren, the beautiful woman finally getting her pants and underwear successfully off and tossing them carelessly across the empty passenger's seat. Then his needy hands were aiding her in stripping her uniform up over her head, pert, pale breasts rolling out to greet him. His lips latched around her nipple, sucking and pampering shamelessly. Maya groaned into him, her voice seeming so much louder in the tight confines of the vehicle.

It was her turn to let frantic hands wander over her partner's clothing. She slid the smooth belt apart, its buckle clinking together softly as she ripped it out of his belt loops and added it to the growing pile on the other seat. Slender fingers parted buttons and drew his zipper down with a hard tug. One insistent hand latched under his clothing, ripping his jeans down over the tops of his thighs while the other pulled him from the confines of his clothing.

Maya was pleased to see he was already painfully hard and dripping for her.

Jack made a pitiful sound and hissed when she stroked her palm up over him several times, his livid cock leaking fluid onto her pretty fingers pathetically.

Her lips found his once more and she steadied herself over him for just a moment before sitting onto him, sinking his hardness into her overly tight warmth. Jack gasped out and broke their frantic kiss, his fingers tightening on the rounds of her buttocks. Everything was too hard and too mean. Everything was frantic. Wanting kisses, mouths sliding together open and eager. Such wanting hands, his big palms grasping at every inch of her that he could possibly get hold of. Beautifully wanting bodies, moving in rhythm with one another's so fluidly. Voices came together, growing louder as everything became so much more frantic and wild.

Maya's hands hung around the back of the driver's seat, palms pressing into the leather to give her leverage as she rode her partner, rolling her hips quickly, her abdomen working in time with each thrust. Jack's pelvis left the seat suddenly, driving up to meet her hard thrusts, his eyes screwing shut and his mouth falling open.

The windows of the vehicle had began to fog with expels of hot breath in the small cab. Jack's palm slid against the window, smearing the moisture when Maya shifted on top of him, causing him to vault and gasp. The siren bit his lip just hard enough for it to sting and that had the powerful man falling apart all anew. He was panting whispers of curses and prayers into her ear, so far gone there was no coming back. There was no picking his powerful demeanor up off the floor now it was already in too many pieces. Maya buried her face in Jack's neck, panting into his throat hot and heavy. As the siren tired and weakened with her orgasm closing in dauntingly, Jack's hands were at her hips, lifting her into his thrusts, picking up where she left off.

Maya was yelling and moaning, body slick with sweat and mind blurred with passion. Her body reacting in the only fashion it could. Jack was big within her, sliding into her pleasantly. She was so wet around him, her need staining the front of his blue jeans as she rode him.

Maya's rear bumped against the steering wheel, honking the horn suddenly, startling them both before the partners realized the cause and deteriorated into small, breathless chuckles. Jack was strong against her, strong and needy.

Maya was pretty sure Jack whispered something along the lines of '_I'm close' _into her soft ear but she wasn't exactly sure. It didn't matter anyway. She was there, barreling over the edge of orgasm, her body stiffening and contracting harshly around her lover, fingers twitching in the folds of his brown vest. Jack followed close behind her, pressing up against her, a breathless sound coming forth from his open mouth, his thighs convulsing without his control. Maya groaned at the feeling of being filled, warm and wet and wonderful.

The siren fell forward against her unexpected lover, tired and panting into his too many layers of clothing. She could feel a moist sensation running down the inside of her thigh and she chuckled tiredly into the material.

Jack pressed his head against the seat hard, eyes still closed, breath still coming in short, shallow gasps. It was all very much so like a firework, the fuse lighting, the rocket journeying upward, only to explode into the night sky in a glorious display of lights and wonders. Jack's arms were looped around her in a way that did not belong to someone who considered all of this 'a casual fuck' as it had first been. Maya moved slowly, nestling her chin into Jack's pounding pulse, the place being familiar and warm against her skin. It was good to simply lay against him, so tired and so careless of everything that existed outside the vehicle.

Then Jack spoke, for the very first time since they had been in the car together.

"Well…that was…unexpected." Jack husked languidly his eyes parting open just slightly.

"I'm really good at doing the unexpected…haven't you learned that yet?" Maya questioned coyly.

Jack could only laugh in response and smile into her hair.

Oh how he could only manage to bask in his very, very unexpected adoration for his very, very lovely siren.


	12. Vault Hunters Don't Wear High Heels

Vault Hunters Don't Wear High Heels

A familiar, large arm cradled protectively around her as she came to stop at the door she'd come face to face with so many times before. Jack's lips were hot on her neck as his gruff palms came to slide down her shoulders, teasing at the pale skin gently. Maya leaned backward into his arms as he reluctantly pulled his left one from her just long enough to fish out his keys.

"Close your eyes." Jack husked into her ear his breath pouring pleasantly over her tender anatomy.

Maya turned slightly to look backward at the brunette haired man that was looped around her like ribbon. She shot him a confused glance, and the grin that he offered her only added to her questioning expression.

"Why?" Maya quipped turning in Jack's arms, her hands finding her hips sassily.

"Because I have something for you. But it's a surprise. So would ya just close em kiddo?" Jack chuckled through a bright brilliant smile.

Maya gives Jack a slightly unsure look. A look that without words simply says 'you know I don't like surprises' and the CEO merely chuckles in response. The siren is a distrusting woman, everything could be a trap and nothing is to be taken lightly. He isn't sure whether to categorize that habit as a survival skill or just being overly cautious. Either way it is one of the many things that just make her…her.

"Just trust me." Jack whispered his lips never leaving the tender space behind her ear.

Maya sighs and Jack knows that isn't an agreement, but more like a 'fine I give up' sort of sigh. The door comes open and Jack's warm palm covers over the siren's eyes. Maya stiffens, not exactly liking the idea of being led blind into anything that has to with Handsome Jack, but going anyway because a part of her flickers with curiosity. Jack's lead is steady and slow, allowing her to take careful steps as the door closes behind them. The room smells like lavender, just the way it always has and at least the scent is familiar to her. She may not be able to see, but she can feel the homey sense of the room all around her. The bedroom that has been witness to so many nights that should have never happened but did anyway. The bedroom that had watched as things went from so very curious and innocent to something so much more than the two of them had bargained for. This room knew them better than they knew themselves. All its pretty sheets and big grand views of the city. This bedroom had painted passion and anger all on one big canvas. The brush strokes has been so unexpected but what they had made was something not far off from beautiful. Powerful colors all twisting into something more and here they were once more only to add to the art they had started so very long ago.

Jack stopped and Maya's feet stood still on his command.

"Now you can look." Jack husked into the shell of her ear, sending warm chills running like sparks down her spine.

Fingers came away from her tender eyes and lashes parted ever so slowly to soak in what would be had before her.

Maya's breath caught slightly in her throat and her eyes flicked over the form before her.

Black as ebony with silver jewels running down the chest. Folds of flowing material all cascading off the mannequin gracefully. It was like a black river of material more gorgeous than anything her eyes had ever beheld.

A dress.

A _gorgeous _dress.

A dress so beautiful it made her soul hurt just a little. Mostly because Maya had never _worn_ a dress. She'd never even owned one for herself. The abbey did not allow her to dress in such attire. Anything as revealing as this was strictly forbidden. The abbey had dressed her conservatively and Pandora had dressed her for battle. Neither had room for such gorgeous things as flowing dresses. Maya walked to the black dress slowly, touching at the one sleeve, made to cover the left arm, the other side of it meant to reveal bare shoulder, the neckline low and dipped. Everything was so gracefully tailored and every little detail was so perfect. The silver jewels scattered out down half the one sleeve and spread into twisting designs down the breast and over the left side, finally fading into sheer black folds. A large glittering teardrop necklace made of diamonds and matching earrings sat idle on a small table next to the dress and Maya's eyes went to them slowly, captured by their glittering nature.

"Jack…this…what is this?" Maya whispered slowly picking up the tiny earrings to observe them closer.

Jack's big palms settled onto Maya's slender hips, his body pressed flush to her backside as he laid tender kisses across the back of her neck, causing all the hairs on her nape to stand on end.

"It's a gift." Jack purred his voice low and lusty.

"Jack I…I can't accept these. This is too much." Maya whispered shaking her head and lying the diamonds down.

She didn't need things like this. This was too expensive and this was too much. She was a Vault Hunter and Vault Hunters did not need such things.

"I think it's just enough actually kiddo." Jack lulled sucking her lobe gently.

Maya turned in his arms and Jack leaned back slowly, half lidded eyes searching over Maya's dark eyes.

"Jack…" Maya huffed letting her shoulders drop.

"Please Maya. You cost me a fortune after those loaders, let me spend another small fortune on you…but this time on my terms. C'mon cupcake, you'd look like a million bucks in that dress." Jack sniggered lowly.

Maya groaned out stubbornly.

"Do I even want to know how much that thing cost?" Maya sighed folding her arms and granted the dress another curious glance over her shoulder.

"Diamond necklace, earrings and shoes included?" Jack questioned flashing her a billionaire smile.

"There are _shoes _too?" Maya exclaimed running her hand up through her short locks.

"Well of course there are shoes cupcake. What kind of man would I be if I didn't buy the pretty lady some pretty heels to go with the outfit?" Jack scoffed waving a hand at her and crossing the room to fetch the glittering diamond encrusted heels off the bed.

"Why?" Maya whispered softly her eyebrows pushed together gently.

Jack smiled as his blunt fingers ran over the gorgeous heels and pushed them into Maya's hesitant hands.

"I'm throwing a little bit of a party tonight. Celebrating a rise in business, mining operations are through the roof and you know I sure do like a good black tie affair." Jack paused to let his eyes sweep lazily over Maya's form.

"It'd be real nice to have a pretty little thing like yourself on my elbow for the night." Jack continued stepping forward slightly.

"So whaddya say kitten? You want to be my date for the evening kiddo?" Jack questioned huskily.

Maya frowned at Jack softly. She didn't know how to wear a dress and heels. She didn't know how to be a woman like that. She didn't know how to do this. This was new and frightening. She just knew combat boots and dirty uniform pants. She didn't know how to do herself up the way that was worthy of all Jack's riches. She didn't know how to be like Jack. She didn't know how to make herself into arm candy worthy of Handsome Jack. She was a Vault Hunter, not some pretty woman that mingled with Hyperion higher ups and attended lavish parties.

Maya sighed and breathed out sadly.

"Jack I've never even worn heels, like ever…how am I supposed to do this? I don't know how to be prestigious like you. I'm a Vault Hunter…I'm not cut out for this…" Maya said shaking her head slowly.

Maya set the shoes down on the small table and turned away from Jack.

She could feel his arms circle around her without her consent and everything within her froze like an iced over sea. He was so warm, and so big, and so hard against her. He smelled like cologne and cinnamon. He felt like velvet and a light breeze. Something about the touch was so different and so new. So scary and so unsure. Maya felt her heart thundering in her chest. He touched her the way he had that night, in the cold in the dark drunk and unafraid. He touched her the way he did the moment he'd said those three words to her. He touched her the way he had when she'd said them back. Jack kissed her forehead and she could feel him smile against her hairline as he pushed his nose into her locks.

"It's easy. Trust me. Just for one night, I promise it will be fun kiddo." Jack reassured.

Maya's arms were in motion before she could second guess her decision. They wrapped around thick shoulders and she pressed her face into his warm throat.

"Ok." Maya whispered smiling softly.

For a moment there was no fear of doing this wrong, of tripping over herself in heels, there was just the rush of something new and something very exciting. She'd never been to a party, much less one of Hyperion's regal swarays.

"Atta girl." Jack chuckled leaning back slightly.

"Now I think we better get dressed, can't be late to my own party sweet cheeks." Jack chuckled as Maya stepped out of his grip and smiled.

"Well here goes nothing." She shrugged to herself as she gathered the dress off its stand and sashayed into the open bathroom.

Jack was gone into the other room and Maya was left to her own devices, the bathroom hanging open as she decided to just leave it that way. Maya slowly peeled her combat uniform off herself, leaving her naked in the massive mirror before her. She paused for a moment, looking over her body with bright intelligent eyes. She traced her slender fingers down her spiraling tattoos and breathed out. Months ago she would have been absolutely sickened with herself over this. Agreeing to accept such gifts from the very man trying to bring Pandora to its knees. She sighed. That didn't matter. She couldn't run from this anymore. This felt right. It felt nice, to know she was so wanted. To know that the most powerful man on Pandora was hopelessly hung up on her. To know Jack looked to her like she was made of fucking diamonds. Maya had never had a man look at her the way Jack did. Jack fawned over her with soft eyes and warm touches and everything about it just seemed so viciously genuine. Handsome Jack was not supposed to be human, much less express actual _feelings. _Yet here she stood, peeling back layers and seeing more man than monster. The monster was still there, so very ugly and gnarled, but she felt that was half of what she liked most about him. She was just as much of a monster as he. Between the two of them she was unsure of who was more powerful, both so very strong in their own respects.

Maya let loose of a slow breath.

The car ride had been filled with too much talk of other things, neither one seeming to want to touch on the subject of what had happened in their last meeting. Jack had said nothing about it and Maya had chosen to do the same…and so it sat, looming in the vast condo like some heavy thing. She didn't even know where to start, and Jack was just tiptoeing around the subject, covering it with grand gifts and avoiding it so very gracefully. And she let him because she was scared too.

She was scared of what they were getting themselves into. She was scared of a lot of things. So many things that were unknown factors to the situation. She'd never felt so light and so strange. She supposed that was what this emotion did to you…what love did to you.

There was that heavy word again.

The one crawling around in the back of her brain like a living thing. The one that came fluttering from behind her eyes at the most inopportune times. The one that came without permission and never left. The one that made her feel just a little more insane with every passing day. She didn't come to Pandora for this. She came for money, for riches, for experience, for knowledge…but she damned sure did not come for love.

She was a siren.

She knew nothing about such human things as love.

She was taught to only love power over others and the fear that she could instill in those around her.

Maya slipped on the ebony dress, material sliding over her slender shoulders and hugging at her hips in just all the right ways. The beautiful clothing fell very flatteringly over her figure, defining it gracefully. The dress was short, shorter than what Maya was really used to. She wasn't one to really be showing…so much _skin. _

Maya rolled her eyes.

She was sure Jack had made it short on purpose.

Maya smoothed over her hips, hands finding the cloth to be smooth and pleasant to the touch. The silver jewels glittered in the bathroom lights gorgeously; she felt like some silver scaled dragon, everything glistened with her smallest of movements. Maya plucked the heels off the counter and gently slipped them onto her feet, rendering her several inches taller as she fit into the sky high shoes. She took a testing step, just barely dipping her toes into the water of the task and found it to be a little strange, her heel threatening to shake and roll. Several more steps in she seemed to get the hang of it, strutting down the length of the bathroom, one foot in front of the other, prancing like a show pony in the circus. She suddenly was lost in admiring how very long and sexy the shoes made her legs look and each graceful movement had her heart swelling with pride in just how _good_ she looked. Maya sashayed to the full length mirror, hands finding her hips and striking a deviously sexy pose, pursing her lips up and jutting her leg out in an utterly to die for fashion.

Maya chuckled softly and did a little spin, heels balanced and strong as they clicked against the flooring. Maya flicked her hair and winked at her reflection. She had to admit the man had taste. He sure could pick the most extravagant of outfits. This one was perfect for her. The long left sleeve covered down to her wrist, hiding her tattoos tastefully in black cloth.

It was only then that Maya felt eyes upon her and she turned toward the doorway, meeting with the familiar gaze settled upon her.

Jack stood leaned casually on the doorframe done up in a three piece black suit with a silver waistcoat and matching silver buttons on the jacket. Maya tilted her chin back and thrust her hips to one side sassily.

"Well how do I look big boy?" She snarled grinning wide and devious.

Jack just made a low sound in his throat and did a very slow once over of the woman's form, eyes drawling down her languidly then running right back up to her parted lips.

"Oh kitten…" Jack husked running the sharp of his tongue over his top lip.

The way he was looking at her you would have thought she was some fine delicacy that he was about to make a meal of. Maya loved _that _look. The kind of look that didn't need words. The kind of look that said _I want you. _The kind of look that said _I need you. _The kind of look that said _I have to have you. _

"You look absolutely _stunning _kiddo." Jack cooed.

Jack sauntered toward the siren standing so powerfully before him, hands cupping up her jaw and tipping her chin back ever so slightly as he pressed his lips to her. He tasted expensive and she tasted unbreakable. She tasted _strong. _

A simple kiss faded into something far more wanting, Jack's tongue coming to part her lips and battle her own lithe anatomy into submission. Jack licked along the hollows of her cheeks and the backs of her perfect teeth. Maya's fingers looped lazily around Jack's neck, pulling him in close, pushing up into the kiss with much more urgency. Maya's teeth latched onto Jack's bottom lip and he hissed at the sting, leaving it slightly red with the rough nature of the kiss. Jack huffed against Maya's lips and prodded her backward until her rump gently pressed into the bathroom counter. Strong hands lifted her up onto the marble surface, her heeled ankles latching around Jack's strong hips.

"Oh Mr. President I'm flattered." Maya whispered slowly, every word tumbling off her tongue like honey.

Jack shuddered as he buried his face in her neck, kissing gently. Without warning Jack's broad fingers were sliding up the length of Maya's thigh, bundling the ebony material slowly. Maya gasped when Jack blatantly ran his fingers up underneath her dress, gently curling his digits around the black thong she wore.

"Oh! Handsome Jack, is that really appropriate sir?" Maya teased, swooning dramatically.

Jack just chuckled and grinned down at her fondly. Black lace slid down well-toned thighs, down long legs, and finally off thin ankles strapped to expensive heels. But much to Maya's surprise Jack then leaned away, seemingly taking his prize and leaving her be. She cocked a curious eyebrow as Jack gently tucked the undergarments into his slacks pocket, grinning wide and vicious as he did so.

"I'll be keeping these for the evening." Jack whispered into her ear darkly and the sound alone sent shivers over Maya's skin.

"It'll be our dirty little secret cupcake. Knowing you're completely nude underneath, knowing that I have such control over you…knowing you're _mine." _Jack husked moving his body lithely against hers, causing Maya to arch up into him softly.

"Just knowing I could slip a sly finger underneath at any given moment, and stroke you nice and _soft_, doesn't that sound nice kiddo?" Jack continued his voice low with arousal.

Maya let a small moan whisper past her lips and her eyelids fell heavy as she looked to the man trapping her to the countertop.

"Yes sir…" Maya breathed against Jack's thin lips.

Jack pried himself away from Maya's personal space a wicked grin still clinging to his lips. Maya slid softly off the counter and instantly Jack was dragging the beautiful diamond necklace into his fingers and gently looped it around Maya's neck. Maya felt the drag of the silver chain and the brush of Jack's warm fingers, all the while watching the mirror's reflection as Jack settled it around her throat. Maya was pretty sure she had never worn anything so gorgeous, and so blatantly expensive. The necklace was grand, just like the rest of this place. The siren slowly looped the teardrop earrings through her piercings and then stood there admiring them.

Jack leaned his chin on her shoulder, eyes lazily sweeping over her. He smiled and then was rummaging through the nearest cabinet.

"One more thing, you can't exactly introduce yourself as Maya the Siren, the Vault Hunter with a bounty on her head the size of Pandora…so, what are you feeling, blonde, or brunette?" Jack chuckled holding up two lavish wigs.

Maya laughed softly.

"Oh so I get a new identity for the night? What can't have Handsome Jack dating a ruthless bandit? Too ironic?" Maya snarled teasingly.

Jack just rolled his eyes casually at the woman before him.

"Got it. No bandits allowed. I'll try to keep my screaming about stripping flesh and salting wounds down to a minimum." Maya chuckled earning her another huff and an eye roll from the president.

Maya plucked the blonde wig out of Jack's fingers and went about adjusting it on her head, the golden ringlets falling to her shoulders glistening like hay in the lighting. Maya ran her fingers through the hair and smiled softly.

"I look like the kind of woman that spends all day doing yoga, going to work out classes and cooking for her husband so he can have a grand dinner waiting when he gets home. And my eyebrows are still blue." Maya snorted wryly.

Jack just laughed heartily.

"Well where's my four course meal? Hop to it kiddo. And it's Hyperion. People do weird shit like dye their eyebrows funky colors all the time." Jack snarled grinning wide and thick.

Maya shot him a displeased look.

"One, you are not anywhere near my husband, two I can't cook for shit, honestly It might poison you." Maya said sarcastically.

"Fine, fine kiddo, but I can introduce you as my lovely girlfriend can't I? And marriage is overrated anyway." Jack grimaced.

Maya pushed up her eyebrows in concern at the dark expression that crept across the man's face.

"Well I guess you can. I'll _allow_ you to call me your girlfriend for the evening since I suppose it is inappropriate for the Hyperion CEO to stroll up and introduce his arm candy as his 'fuck buddy' huh? And marriage doesn't seem that bad." Maya said shrugging.

Jack chortled and sighed.

"Oh trust me, it is. Been there done that." Jack whispered adjusting his sleeve slightly.

"You were married?" Maya questioned unable to hide the surprise in her tone.

Jack just nodded, brushing the subject off lightly as if it simply meant nothing to him. Maya could sense the darkness in his voice and the suggestion that this was a black, unhappy corner of his life that he had long since swept under the rug and did not plan on revisiting it anytime soon.

"A long time ago. But, let's not dwell on the past kiddo, we have a party to attend." Jack lulled moving right along from the subject and putting it back on the shelf from which it had been taken from.

"So what name shall I call you for the night kiddo?" Jack smiled looking to Maya with bright eyes.

"Anastasia." Maya proclaimed turning to him and smiling.

"Well, it is very nice to meet you Miss Anastasia, I am sure you and I are going to get along just swimmingly pumpkin." Jack teased holding out his hand.

Maya feigned shyness and gently took the CEO's offered palm.

"The pleasure is all mine Mr. Handsome Jack." Maya purred sashaying to the powerful man's side.

The ballroom was far grander than anything Maya had really bargained for. She had her arms wrapped around Jack's elbow, heels keeping pace with his slow steps as she looked to the high ceilings sparkling down at her all decorated with massive chandeliers. It was like stars, but indoors and it was beautiful. Large fountains of gold, massive couches of gold, the room was dimly lit, except for the glittering, soft, lighting overhead. People were drinking all around them, all dressed in the most gorgeous of dresses and suits. Maya was dazzled by it all as they slowly cut through the crow, staring with starry eyes as people in flowing red dresses and black tuxes spun circles around the dance floor out to their left, fueled by the large orchestra playing so vibrantly on stage. The smells of food and drink invaded her nostrils and she whiffed it in dazedly. Everything just smelled so _delectable. _Maya had never in her life seen anything so vastly grand. Pandora did not have things this grand. Not until Jack came along at least. Not until Jack built this grand city where people were safe from the wilds of this mean planet. This was a safe place to exist, a safe place to raise children and a safe place to grow old. This was a place that rang like gold, and glittered like diamonds. Internally Maya felt so very out of place, but as she looked down to her diamond shoes, glistening with her every step, she knew she blended right in. She looked like she belonged here. She belonged on Jack's strong arm.

The CEO seemed overly pleased with the stars in Maya's eyes and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Grand enough for you kiddo?" Jack chuckled softly.

Maya nodded slowly.

Too grand actually. This was far out of the norm for her and quite honestly it felt like a whole other world. Like she had stepped through time and space alike and landed in this grand world.

Jack plucked two glasses of champagne off a passing waiter's tray and handed one to Maya slowly. She took it thankfully and tipped it to her lips softly. She needed some sort of buzz to calm her nerves about this whole thing.

About that time several greying men approached Jack, all balancing plates of food and glasses of drink in hand.

"Wonderful party sir, absolutely stunning as always. Congratulations to us all. Business is booming and it is all thanks to your leadership sir." The biggest man chortled and Maya grimaced.

The man may as well have just gotten down on his knees and kissed Jack's ass. Seemed people around here were all like that though, getting in line to kiss Jack's shoes and praise his existence. They feared him that was why they did it. They feared one wrong move would get them a bullet right between the eyes, and they were pretty on point for assuming that. Maya knew Jack had quite the reputation for strangling those who pissed him off, and shooting those that annoyed him. Jack looked to the fat man with soft eyes and nodded politely.

"You're damned right Charles. And to think this was nothing but a pile of dirt and rocks when I got here. And now look at this place! Really I think I have certainly outdone myself." Jack self-praised and Maya rolled her eyes.

"Honey your ego is showing." Maya stated blatantly.

All three men standing around seemed to stop dead, eyes widened in fear that this insane woman had actually made a sarcastic remark to the great Handsome Jack. The looks on their faces were those of men that feared for their life. The silence settled over them was broken by Jack's heavy laughter.

"Oh, where are my manners. Men this is my very wonderful girlfriend, Anastasia. She has quite the sense of humor." Jack chuckled lightly leaning in to kiss Maya's neck.

The men were all too quick to kiss and fawn over the woman hanging on Jack's side, shaking her hand and kissing the top of her fingers. Maya grimaced slightly as they kissed her skin, was that some sort of greeting in Opportunity? If so she was not fond of it.

The men wrapped Jack into business talk and Maya settled her attention on her surroundings once more, listening to the music, to the hum of people talking and laughing. The room was absolutely buzzing with activity. The champagne was light on her lips and the conversation was warm. Maya's eyes traveled to Jack once more, his left hand sunken into his pocket, and she could see his fingers shifting slightly. She knew what he was doing, stroking the black thong he'd stolen from her and for some reason it stirred something deep and primal within her. It was arousing to have such a raunchy secret. None of these other higher ups knew she was so very exposed beneath her dress. The thought of Jack gently touching the thin material, possibly imagining all the things he'd like to be doing to her while he was forced into talking to all these pompous businessmen. Suddenly Jack's grip on Maya's waist dropped just slightly, big fingers sliding down around her rump and squeezing just slightly, getting a light gasp from her lungs. She shot Jack a side glance but the CEO refused to meet eyes with her, instead his fingers casually slid back up, taking hold on her hips once more. A teasing game of secrets between them that had Maya near reeling.

Maya was shaken from her thoughts as Jack bid the men a goodnight and was then leading Maya away. He sighed out and groaned.

"What a bunch of bloated bags of bullshit." Jack snarled into Maya's ear.

"Aren't all company men that way?" Maya chuckled.

Jack shot her a dark look.

"Hey now kiddo that's not fair." Jack pouted as they cut through the people surrounding them, constantly being berated by men and woman praising Jack and his efforts.

Jack pulled Maya toward the dance floor and Maya looked to him hesitantly, allowing him to do so, but not without a little concern. Jack pressed her flush to his body and Maya slowly tried to keep pace with his feet, thankful the song was slow enough for her to follow along.

"Jack you know I'm not good at this." Maya snarled looking to him with narrowed eyes.

"Just follow my feet, you're fine. I won't go too fast. Besides you weren't that bad last time we did this cupcake." Jack whispered to her smiling.

"The last time we did this we were drunk and even after that much to drink you still said I was awful." Maya argued softly.

Jack scoffed and twirled Maya around softly.

"Oh hush kiddo. See? You're doing great, I mean you have me to show you and quite frankly I'm a badass dancer." Jack snarled leaning in to kiss her ear.

Maya shooed him away and tried her best to follow Jack's dress shoes around in circles over the beautiful dance floor. The heels were even more of a challenge to be faced with and all Maya could do was hang onto Jack and hopelessly pray not to roll her ankle.

Jack tugged Maya close again and rocked back and forth with the music, hands strong around her, body warm against her.

Maya looked to Jack's face, then down to his neatly pressed collar, they were so close, pressed together and suddenly nobody around them mattered. It was just the two of them and Maya was lost in heterochromatic eyes that seemed to sway and dance along with the music. There were so many questions she had, so many things she needed to say. Time was not slowing down and standing still was hard, the time was now and this was it. She couldn't just ignore what had been said out there in the cold. Those words needed to be addressed, and what better time than now. She felt all the words bubbling up in her throat like bile. Maya was never one for apologies, but here she was, and one was certainly needed.

"Jack…about what happened…last time…I'm so sorry. I was just…afraid." Maya whispered.

She was pretty sure she'd never tackled anything harder in her entire life. Vault Hunters were not afraid of anything. Not beasts nor bandits. Vault Hunters did not fear, and yet here she was admitting that she was indeed afraid to the most treacherous man on Pandora. Her mind wandered back to Jack's admittance of fearing being alone. They both had fears and that was ok. She was afraid right now and that was ok too. It was ok to be afraid.

"I know you were. I was drunk. I shouldn't have said what I did…you know I have this really bad habit of coming on too uh…strong. Always been a downfall of mine sweet cheeks." Jack shrugged.

Maya looked to him with wide grey eyes.

"But did you…did you mean it Jack? What you said…?" Maya whispered suddenly afraid that he was simply going to play the whole thing off on a drunken binge of word vomit that meant nothing in the first place.

Jack's face was suddenly very stern.

"Yeah. I did." Jack whispered.

Jack paused to twirl Maya out, then tugged her back into his arms, the people around them all seeming to be blurs of movement as they danced and swayed. Maya could feel the eyes on them, and it was mind boggling just how often attention was attracted to her partner. The man gathered gazes wherever he walked. He leaked power and the people surrounding him seemed to bow and pray to it all.

This was a bad idea. This was so stupid. Everything about it. She couldn't do this to herself. Jack was dangerous, Jack was insane, Jack was…lovely. And she was going to do it anyway, against all her better judgment.

"I meant it too." Maya whispered back taking a step forward to allow her lips to collide with the man before her and for a moment they stood still in the sea of motion.

The smile that spread across Jack's lips was something Maya found strange on him. It was something genuine and full of raw pleasure. Something full of what she could only describe as unbridled happiness. It was a strange look on the powerful man wrapped around her. The kiss took on a new form as hands became more wanting and tongues played together. Jack pressed against her, and this time it was so insistent and so hard.

"Let's get out of here." Jack snarled tugging Maya's hand gently.

"What? Now?" Maya snarled shooting him a hesitant look.

"Yeah. C'mon pumpkin, I gotta have you. That dress is too pretty to not be pooled around your ankles by the end of the night." Jack husked through a pearly grin that vibrated along Maya's bones.

Maya was suddenly very aware of the eyes around her, all watching them and their display of affection. Women whispered to each other, no doubt questioning who the woman hanging on Handsome Jack's arm was. Maya felt so out in the open, so exposed to the prying glances around her. She had never in her life felt so…_noticed. _

"Ok let's get out of here. I don't like all these snobs staring anyway." Maya snorted.

"They stare because they are so fucking jealous kiddo." Jack hissed and his hand curled around hers.

They weaved through the crowd of people, Maya's heels clicking across the floor as they went. Jack lead her through hallways, lights all dim and sultry and she followed so very willingly. Jack looked back over his shoulder as if to make sure nobody was watching and pushed the door nearest to them open. The powder room proved empty as they entered. Jack locked it behind them and the two of them looked to each other like teenagers up to no good. Maya grinned slyly at the Hyperion CEO and cocked her head to the side teasingly.

"Oh Mr. Handsome Jack this is all moving so fast! We have just met and already you are trying to get into my pants? You are a sly dog aren't you?" Maya husked beckoning a slow finger at Jack.

Jack seemed to pick up on the little game Maya was playing and casually went along with it.

"But Anastasia, I just can't help myself. I've never been in the presence of someone so utterly _gorgeous_. I just have to have you kitten. I have to have you all for _myself._" Jack husked as he turned Maya in his arms and forced her to lean across the beautiful bathroom counter.

Maya gasped out loudly and looked back over her shoulder.

"Oh Handsome Jack…what are you going to do to me?" Maya purred looking to Jack with fake concern.

Jack's hands slid up the length of Maya's dress, enthralled with the material beneath his fingers.

"I'm going to make you feel so _good_ kitten. I'm going to make you fall to _pieces." _Jack husked pressing his groin against her buttocks and leaning into her ear, sliding his tongue around the soft anatomy.

Maya could feel Jack's arousal against her, the moment grabbing hold of him already and leaving him a needing mess.

"How does that sound Miss Anastasia?" Jack husked against her neck, fingers sliding Maya's dress upward, revealing her naked form slowly.

"Oh sir you have quite the sly tongue." Maya whispered shivering slightly as the cold air hit her nude skin.

"That's not all my tongue is good for kitten." Jack snarled thickly.

Maya quivered in his palms and listened to the telltale sounds of Jack's belt coming undone and his zipper being drawn down. Broad fingers traced between Maya's legs, gliding gently over her slit, coming away with a wet, warm sensation that caused Jack's skin to prickle with goose bumps. She was already so very wet for him, needing him, wanting him. Fingers were replaced by the feeling of Jack's blunt head, prodding for entrance sternly. Jack pushed in with an easy thrust, hips rolling to meet with hers. Maya let loose of a feminine gasp, fingers finding desperate hold on the rim of the silver sink. Maya's necklace dangled from her neck, swinging and swaying as Jack found his rhythm, pushing into her hard and eager. Maya cried out in response to each thrust, voice loud and thick with praise. There was good champagne settled in her stomach, and hints of something else…hints of something _more._ There was that old passion between them and the new passion just discovered. Playing games with hearts was not a safe pastime, and yet they were very much so both on the board and too far in to quit. Jack leaned down to kiss her neck, teeth clenching around the chain of her necklace gently, hips never ceasing their motion.

Maya's tongue let loose of his name, something so familiar and yet so strange. She moaned it with power and with lust. She moaned it so loud, and so wanting. Pretty heels stuttered across the flooring as Jack pressed her harder into the sink, rutting against her roughly. The sounds of his gruff pants rung through her ears and kissed at her senses. Maya turned slightly so her lips could meet with the CEO's and the kiss was frantic and lovely. Jack moaned against her mouth, deep and husky. His palms were so big and the way he filled her was so pleasant as it coursed through her veins. Voices mingled together as Jack made her his, taking her so willingly as she gave herself to him. Something was different there as Maya came to orgasm and Jack followed quickly behind, grunting and groaning as he spilled his load within her. Maya squirmed and panted beneath him, whispers of his name still heavy on her tongue and everything was different. Jack stood steady behind her, still trying to regain his breath and his strength after spending it on sex that had been far too rough and far too spontaneous. Jack gently eased himself from his lover and Maya sighed lowly, panting into the mirror and fogging the glass slightly. Finally she seemed to recollect herself, fixing her blonde wig slightly and straightening her dress sheepishly. Maya's eyes flicked up to Jack's, his big palms slowly tucking his softening cock back into his slacks tiredly. Jack zipped up his pants and looped his belt back together then stood staring at Maya with that same 'something' glinting so brilliantly behind his eyes.

Jack stepped forward and curled his hands up through her fake locks, gently tucking a little bit of blue back beneath them. Maya just smiled languidly.

"Miss Anastasia, I know this might just sound crazy, but kiddo I think I am absolutely in love with you." Jack lulled, the corner of his lip twitching up into a playful grin.

"Mr. Handsome Jack, I do believe this is all very crazy. But I think I am quite in love with you too." Maya teased flicking her golden ringlets and cocking a thin eyebrow at Jack.


	13. The Young Siren

TheYoung Siren

Peevish smiles were exchanged between the two counterparts, eyes glittering with a childish glee that only came from having done no good. Dirty secrets kept between pressed lips and wandering hands. Secrets shared for heated moments behind the closed door of a powder room. It was juvenile and ridiculous and it had wild giggles bubbling up from the young woman's chest as she fixed herself shyly. She smoothed out her wig, putting it back into place and let her dress fall even once more.

Jack reached his thumb up to gently wipe at her ruined lipstick smeared down her chin in a way that was delicious and sultry all in the same breath. The air between them was hot and heavy with dirty deeds, telling a story of something more, something wild and wrong and good.

Maya's eyes flicked to his, captured for a moment in a firm hold of green and blue.

"You're a mess kitten." Jack husked warmly, leaning down to place a slow kiss to her cheek.

Maya just chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"It's your fault." She countered sassily.

"I'm not sorry kiddo." Jack shrugged casually, hands finding her slender hips and relishing in simply gazing at the beautifully wrecked woman before him.

Her earrings glinted in the low light as she turned and used a towel to wipe the rest of her ruined lipstick from her plump pillows. She'd known from the very moment she'd put it on, it was most likely not going to last the night. Not with the way Jack kissed her, all tongue and teeth and vicious need.

Jack's arms slunk around her thin form, encaging her in a warm embrace that caused her back to go stiff for a moment. His fingers were big and familiar as they pressed into the soft of her stomach, massaging her skin through the silky material absent mindedly.

"So, shall we get back to the party Mr. Handsome Jack?" Maya teased turning in his arms and looping her thin limbs around his neck.

"Honestly I'd rather just take you home with me and call it a night sweet thing." Jack husked burying the heat of his mouth against her slender throat.

Maya expelled a breathless puff of air and found herself arching up against him just slightly, body involuntarily looking for the warmth of his body.

"Handsome Jack ditching his own party? Now that isn't very professional sir. I haven't drunk nearly enough of that expensive champagne, nor have I gotten to try one of those weird tiny chickens I saw at the buffet table." Maya chuckled lightly.

She wouldn't admit it out loud, but the lavish party had hold of her in a way that she had not bargained for. The beautiful lights, the vibrant music. It was like stepping into a different world. Something that was not at all Pandora, and in that moment…it was exactly what she needed. To forget where she was, to dance, to eat the finer foods, to drink the vastly expensive beverages. She hated the way the people around her looked at her as she hung so beautifully on Jack's arm…and yet she loved it all the same. In a weird way it gave her an entirely new sense of power. She was something more than all the rest. She had the attention of the most powerful man on Pandora and that in itself was a great feat. The way Jack held her, the way he looked to her as if all the stars reflected in her great, big, grey eyes. That was scary to the other beings in the room. What kind of woman could tame such a monster of a man like so? What kind of woman could have Handsome Jack hanging on her every word? What kind of woman could have the tyrant of Hyperion wrapped around her slender fingers like silk ribbon?

A siren, a vault hunter, a warrior.

A woman that feared nothing, or nothing that she would admit.

A woman that was all teeth and beauty.

A woman that walked into the room dripping in _gold. _

Jack sighed against her flesh, clearly opposing her decision, but going along with it anyway.

"They are game hens sweet cheeks. And alright, if you insist, we can stay, for a while longer." Jack proposed grinning slyly.

Maya nodded and gently reached up to push Jack's bangs back into place. She fixed them adequately and smiled at her handy work.

"Can't have the great Handsome Jack looking like he just fucked someone in a bathroom now can we?" Maya chortled patting the front of his jacket and winking at her partner.

"Mmmph I'd rather they all know what exactly just happened in here. That you're my pretty little thing, and nobody else's. I want them to be able to _smell _the sex on you pumpkin." Jack snarled to her lowly mouth twisting into a devious little grin.

Maya felt her cheeks fill with color and she swallowed dryly. The man's words wrapped around her delicately, brushing against her deepest, most primal needs and god she hated how easily he could do that. How easily he could have her knees quaking and her spine tingling. Jack kissed her hard. The way someone might kiss after being apart for much longer than either bargained for. He kissed with all his mouth, and all his tongue, hands sliding down to the pert rounds of her buttocks and she found herself breathlessly catching flames around him.

"My gorgeous, wild, ferocious, _siren." _Jack whispered his voice dipping low in his throat, lips still pressed just slightly to Maya's.

"Stop stalling Mr. President." Maya whispered back, smiling against the warmth of his lips.

Jack chuckled deeply and held up his hands sheepishly.

"You caught me kitten." Jack grinned wryly.

Maya rolled her eyes and giggled softly.

The lights of the party reflected like glowering satellites down over Maya's face, the music dancing through her veins like fire, her fingers clenched tightly around her lovers arm. Having gone from disheveled messes, so rampant with need and want, back to presentable beings of higher class, not a hair out of place. Maya tucked the devious secret into her back pocket wryly. To know she'd tempted Handsome Jack in all his power and all his grace to take her in a powder room because he'd needed her so fiercely…it gave her a sick little sense of pride. These other beautiful women could stare and they could wonder but they would never be in her shoes. In that moment, Maya did not care that she had utterly no idea who she was anymore. Siren? Vault Hunter? Handsome Jack's lover?

None of that mattered as she hung off the powerful man's arm. Her body was lucidly blissful as she moved, the spark of post-orgasm still clinging to her bones pleasantly. Thin fingers worried over the material of Jack's suit, ebony and expensive and everything just felt so very crystal. Maya's eyes swept to the table full of food and drinks, then to Jack who was wrapped deep in conversation with some higher up.

Maya leaned forward and pressed her lips to the President's ear.

"I'm going to get a plate and a glass of champagne. I'll be right back." Maya whispered smiling gently.

Jack gently brushed back her fake blonde locks and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"You sure? I can come with you kitten." Jack offered smiling.

"I fight Pandoran monsters for a living. I can handle walking across the room on my own." Maya snorted rolling her eyes blatantly.

Jack sighed and shook his head.

"Fine. Hurry back sweet cheeks." Jack whispered nodding.

Maya patted his shoulder twice before sashaying through the crowd. She didn't feel like she was walking anymore. She was _floating. _Those around her stared in wonder as the woman cut past them her stance powerful and otherworldly. She was something to behold that was for certain.

Jack found his mind trailing from the conversation, his attention grabbed by the graceful woman walking away from him. The way her hips swayed, the way she paid no passing glance to those staring at her, she was too powerful to be touched. Too powerful to be caged. Too powerful to ever be anything but wild and free, she was Pandoran wildlife in all its beauty and fangs and he was hopelessly smitten with her. He felt his chest swell with something more than oxygen as his eyes played over her. It was an old feeling. One he had not felt in such a long time.

Something that had come long, long ago in his life.

His wife.

Jack felt his breath hitch and his heart skip a beat in the confines of his chest.

She'd had those same bright, beautiful eyes as Maya. He could remember them just like it was yesterday, so vivid and so real as they danced like candle flames behind his pupils. He could remember the way her hair felt when his fingers carded gently through it. He could hear her voice so tender and lively behind his ear. Maya was everything she once was…and more.

Jack felt the old wound threatening to open and he ripped his gaze away from the gorgeous young woman. That was the past. Maya was the presence. It was so overwhelming to actually…feel again. To feel something more than hurt, and anger. The feel something gentle as it kissed his skin. It had been so long he almost forgot what to do with such a feeling. It had taken him long enough to approach it, to address it and now…here he was. She was full of deep rooted hurt, so much the same as he and like a moth to a flame he was helpless to her attraction.

He needed her.

He needed her deep down in the roots of his being.

Something so gorgeous and so far beyond anything his eyes had ever soaked in. She was too good for this world and she was too good for the life she'd chosen to live. He wanted to give her better, give her everything he had to offer. She was too gorgeous to live like a filthy bandit. He wouldn't let her become like them, he'd make her better.

He'd keep her _safe. _

Maya looked back over her shoulder at the Hyperion CEO, who was once more consumed in conversation. Maya took a small glass from the long table and looked up to the ceiling. Her mind wandered, out from her body, tugging her with its curiosity and so she followed. She just wanted to walk a little, stretch her sore legs, she'd be back before Jack even noticed she was gone.

Maya's heels clicked the hard flooring as she exited the ballroom and wandered through the corridors. The big picture windows were dark as they peered down over the bustling city, Helios shining in the distance, Elpis glowering fat and full above the landscape. The moon cast shadows in through the corridors soft and pale as they fell before the young siren's feet. She breathed in deeply, taking in the air and letting her eyes close softly. This place was all beauty. To think something like this could even exist on Pandora was slightly absurd.

Pandora was full of terrors and murder. But this place, this place was gorgeous, clean and wondrous. This was a place to settle down, to start a family, to feel safe. Maya never thought she would end up finding safety in the very headquarters of their sworn enemy. Just one more thing to add to the growing list of things she hadn't bargained for when first setting foot on this planet's surface. Maya tipped her glass to her slender lips and allowed the fizzy liquid to slide down her throat.

She hummed at the taste and breathed out softly.

She had no idea what she was doing, nor did she care. Everything was a shot in the dark now, just like the moment she'd left the Abbey. This was a wide world and she was in for the ride. Everything seemed so much more brilliant, for a moment all the wrong that came with this one right was just fine. Her mind was at ease and her body just sunk into the grand quality of everything around her. The moon, the stars, it all seemed to very close to her reach. Everything was in the palm of her hand.

Maya clinked her nails on the side of her glass.

Maybe Jack wasn't so insane after all. Well…still insane. But not in the way she'd first thought. He just wanted to better this planet, make it livable, make it home for those who needed it. The place was wild. Wild and mean, and all that mean spirit is what made people run from it. Jack hadn't run. He'd seen opportunity in the dusty planet and he'd made it his. He'd grabbed what others feared to clasp.

Maya sighed.

It was unfortunate not all of Pandora agreed with the way he'd gone about it. Nor did she completely. But then again how was it different from anything else on this planet? They all murdered to get their way. Nobody had clean hands. Nobody could survive here without getting blood on their palms.

But now…now she was playing a dangerous game of sides.

She couldn't stay on both of them forever.

She couldn't keep this a secret forever. Not with the events that were playing out now. This was just all becoming so big, too big for her to keep it wrapped tight behind closed doors anymore. But god what would they think of her…oh what would they think? The siren that betrayed a planet. The siren that sided with Handsome Jack.

The siren that doomed them all.

Maya shook her head.

She loved Jack, but that didn't mean she would turn on her comrades.

But how could she even begin to accomplish both at once.

Maya felt her heart drop down into her stomach.

This would have been so much easier if she'd just fallen in love with a bandit.

Maya was ripped from her thoughts by the sound of clicking heels coming with haste down the long hallway. Maya turned slowly, glass of champagne in hand, eyes sweeping the scene before her. A young woman, adorned in a pretty, simple black dress that matched her deep, glossy, ebony hair perfectly. Her smooth locks were pulled back into a ponytail that was half falling out, small tendrils of soft hair falling over her forehead gently.

Her eyes were wide with concern, breath heavy as she paused her frantic flight, her gaze falling on the unfamiliar woman before her.

She looked young, eighteen maybe. Her body youthful and slender, her orbs bright and blue behind a tad bit of makeup. But certain aspects about her were strange as the young woman froze in her tracks.

The right side of her head was shaved, exposing two metal looking implants attached to her temple, there was a heavy looking collar around her neck, small tubes shimmering purple running from the mechanism around her neck to a small device on her upper bicep. The tubes glowered bright in the dark hallway, reflecting in her wide eyes brilliantly.

She looked scared, eyes big and watery, tears threatening to fall.

Maya was often times very bad as dealing with others, human interactions, but she knew how to comfort another when in need. Something about the raven haired girl just instantly drew her in, she needed help and Maya was there.

"Hey, hey are you ok?" Maya asked briskly walking toward young woman.

The girl backed up quickly as Maya approached, hesitant, her face contorted into utter fear.

Maya paused and looked to her with concerned, gentle eyes.

"Don't come any closer." The young woman whispered her voice shaky and threatening to crack as it came from her lips.

Maya frowned and looked over the girl once more, and that…was when she saw them.

Perfect, brightly glowering tattoos running down the young woman's shoulder, spiraling down the length of her arm.

A siren.

Another siren.

Maya felt her heart stop.

The only other siren she had ever come in contact with…was Lilith and that certainly had not gone like she'd hoped. She'd wanted to meet another siren so badly, share stories, share experiences, learn together, teach each other. None of that had happened of course, with Lilith anyway.

Maya smiled gently at the young girl.

"I'm not going to hurt you, what happened? Is everything ok? You can trust me, I'm a friend." Maya offered holding her ground as the girl's eyes searched over the older woman's form unsurely.

"I-I just, please, stay right there….I don't…I don't want to hurt you…I just…I need to find my dad…I…just…this hasn't happened in a long time! I'd done so good. He's going to be so angry with me. I'd done so, so good…" The young woman blubbered as the tears came forth without her control.

Disregarding the young woman's warnings Maya set her glass down on a nearby table, walked toward the woman and wrapped her arms around her shivering form, steering her toward one of the grand couches lining the hallway. Maya eased her down onto the couch as she sobbed into her hands, tattoos glowing brightly with the emotion coursing through her bones.

Maya swept a gentle hand through her soft locks.

Something about her was just…so familiar…but Maya just couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"It's ok…It's ok." Maya hushed carding slow fingers through her hair gently.

The young girl sniffled and wiped at her nose with the heel of her hand, seeming to allow herself to be soothed by the softness in the older woman's voice and the touch of her slender fingers. She'd never seen this woman around Opportunity, and she felt…different. Normally people associated with Hyperion didn't give two shits if someone was in need, tears got you nothing around here. Tears were not a cause for concern, and yet here this odd woman was comforting her and sitting with her as she cried so pathetically.

The young girl breathed out softly and tried to dry her face in vain.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

Maya shook her head slowly.

"Don't be sorry. What's wrong? Can I help in any way?" Maya whispered.

The young woman looked down at her hands in dismay.

"I just…I wanted to go to the party and when I got in the elevator there was a man, and he was drunk and he just…he wouldn't stop bothering me. I know he was drunk but he was so insistent and he kept getting closer and I don't like people when they are close and I…I…lost control. I hurt him. I think I hurt him badly." The young woman hissed.

"I'd been doing so good…I hadn't had an incident in such a long time…I finally could be trusted to be on my own…" The young siren whispered.

Maya rubbed her shoulder slowly.

"It's ok. That's a lot of power for such a little thing like yourself. I know it's hard to control it sometimes." Maya said touching the tattoos on the young girl's arm.

The girl flinched at the touch and looked to Maya with confused eyes.

Maya gently pulled up the sleeve of her dress and exposed her own twisting tattoos.

The girl gasped and furrowed her eyebrows together.

"You're…a siren too?" The young girl whispered brightly.

Maya nodded.

"I just couldn't keep from hurting him…and then I ran. I ran away…" The young girl sighed.

"My dad is going to be furious." She continued.

Maya frowned darkly.

"You were just protecting yourself. I don't think anybody should be mad at you, more at that drunken asshole." Maya countered.

The young woman frowned and nodded.

"I think he's dead…" She whispered softly.

Maya breathed in slowly.

"Ok…well…people get killed all the time around here. But I suppose we should most likely tell someone…um, I never caught your name hun?" Maya asked softly.

"It's Angel." The young woman breathed.

Maya smiled at her once more, trying to lighten the mood and ensure she believed that everything would in fact be ok.

"Angel. That's a pretty name, it's nice to meet you Angel, I'm Maya…but uh…let's keep my real name a secret. Ok?" Maya chuckled.

Angel looked to Maya in awe.

"Maya? The vault hunter? I-I know you. But…what are you doing here? Are you crazy if anybody found out about you, they'd turn you in. If _he_ found out about you…this…this isn't safe. You aren't safe here." Angel whispered in panic.

Maya just chuckled.

"It's…well it's a long story." Maya sighed shaking her head.

"But it's ok. I'm safe, trust me." Maya reassured.

Angel just stared at her in a way that was all confusion and worry.

"I've never met another siren before." Angel whispered.

"Well there is a first time for everything. Now let's get you cleaned up a little." Maya said smiling and taking some tissues from a box on the table next to the couch.

She wiped at Angel's eyes gently and the young girl smiled at the softness in her touch.

"You're so different than I imagined." Angel said suddenly.

Maya paused.

"I hope different in a good way." Maya chuckled.

Angel nodded profusely.

"Oh of course, in a good way. I just…from what I know about you…you seem so ruthless and powerful. My dad says all bandits are horrid, so I just assumed you'd be some…kind of monster I guess." Angel admitted softly.

"Well, not all bandits are bad. What is it with all of you Hyperion folk thinking all bandits are total heathens?" Maya chuckled.

Angel shrugged her shoulders up and laughed softly.

Suddenly there were heavy footsteps coming down the length of the half, echoing off the walls loud and quick.

"Maya?" A familiar voice called around the corner and Maya would know that deep tenor anywhere.

"Over here." Maya called back.

Angel seemed to tense looking to Maya and then the hall.

"I was wondering where you went babe, starting to think you ditched me pumpkin." Jack chuckled as he rounded the corner and came to a dead stop as he looked over the scene before him.

He looked to Angel's reddened eyes and then to the gorgeous woman sitting idle comforting the ebony haired girl.

"Angel? Baby what happened?" Jack snapped swooping in to the young girl's side.

Angel sighed and looked to the older man with hurt in her eyes.

Maya felt all the breath leave her as she suddenly put the pieces of the seen all together. The way Jack looked to Angel, the way Angel looked to Jack…

"I just…I had an accident…I'm so sorry dad…" Angel whispered softly.


	14. Control

Control

Maya sat in one of the grand chairs in the living room of Jack's penthouse. The dress she had worn throughout the span of the grand ball lay strewn across the magnificent couch just to her left and the gorgeous siren say in nothing but her lace lined, ebony bra, matching thigh high stockings, and her heels. She perched with her back straight against the regal furniture, legs crossed over one another, censoring her bare lower half from the rest of the room.

The silence in the room could have been sliced through the middle with a kitchen knife. It was heavy throughout the space, thick and anxious. Maya tapped her slender fingers along the sharp of her chin and breathed in a slow breath that filled out her lungs to their full extent.

Heterochromatic eyes settled on her from across the room.

Jack was smart to keep his distance.

He may have loved the gorgeous, blue haired woman sitting idle in his home…but that didn't mean she was any less wild than the first moment he'd set eyes on her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Maya whispered finally, her words cutting the absence of sound like the crack of a whip.

"That isn't exactly something you bring up in casual conversation pumpkin." Jack sighed back, his voice low.

The CEO ran a slow hand through his brunette locks and continued to watch the siren warily.

She refused to meet his eyes, the beautiful woman choosing to stare off at the fireplace instead.

"We agreed to keep personal lives out of this. You know that. I mean, everything is different now kiddo…I was going to tell you." Jack reasoned cautiously.

"I understand that." Maya snapped.

There was a pause as the siren seemed to try and collect her thoughts, chasing them around like lost marbles that had clattered to the floor below them.

"But she's…she's a siren? How could you not tell me you had a daughter…and that she's a _siren?_" Maya hissed.

"Not many people know Maya." Jack began but Maya abruptly cut him off.

"Why because you keep her locked away!? Like some _animal?" _Maya spat, her eyes flashing with rage as she looked to Jack for the first time since they had returned to the penthouse together.

Jack clenched his fist in anger and sneered his lip up slightly.

"You don't know a goddamned thing about that Maya. I _have _to keep her controlled. I _have _to keep her contained…for her safety…and everybody else's." Jack snapped, rage bubbling up from the deepest depths of his gut.

Maya's eyes flashed and her jaw clenched tight.

"Because she is powerful she is considered dangerous to you? So you control her? Just like everything else on this damned planet? Is that it? How dare you Jack…how…how fucking dare you." Maya snarled.

Jack's fists clenched at his sides, his neck ringed with red, the anger washing through his skin like hot waves.

"I _have _to control her Maya! I have to because she can't control herself!" Jack spat his voice rising slightly.

Maya's fingers stopped their rhythmic motion against the chair arm.

"She had a collar around her damned neck Jack! Like a dog! A damned dog! Is that what you are going to do to me eventually? Slap a collar around my neck then start telling me to sit and fetch?" Maya barked.

Jack was nearly shaking with rage, his eyes wild as he carded vicious fingers through disheveled chocolate locks.

"Just shut your damned mouth for god's sake! You don't know what she can do, you don't fucking know what it's like to see her lose control!" Jack yelled as he crossed the room in a few short strides, finger nearly jabbed right against Maya's nose.

Maya sat bolted off the chair she sat upon, kicking both heels off in her wake and shoving past Jack's shoulder.

"Fine. I won't say another goddamned word." Maya snarled over her shoulder as she grabbed a silken robe from the hook on the wall and slung it over her thin shoulders.

Maya's fingers curled around the front door to the penthouse, pausing only to look at Jack for a mere second.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jack snapped at her.

"For a walk." Maya hissed.

"Dammit Maya you're so…so…" Jack yelled his voice quivering with white hot anger.

"So what Jack? I'm so _what? _Just fucking say it!" Maya nearly screamed her tattoos glowering dangerously in the low light of the room.

"You're so fucking stubborn! Stubborn, naïve, frustrating, the list goes on! Where the hell do you even want me to start!?" Jack bellowed back throwing his hands out in a jeering manner.

Maya simply stared at Jack with tight lips before ripping the door open and slamming it satisfyingly behind her

Jack pulled at his hair and let go of a frustrated yell. The wild anger bubbled up through him, pressing him to lash out blindly. Everything was shades of red as he let his fist loose, only to connect with the wall. The pain that shot up through his knuckles was barely registered through the rage. His heart thundered in his chest as he let his now throbbing fist drop to his side. His breath came in ragged, short, shallow pants and his hair fell in wispy strands over his perfect mask.

The CEO took several steps backward, allowing his still shaking body to slump down onto the nearest couch with a great sigh. His heterochromatic eyes flicked to the now closed door and then down to his dress shoes that he had not yet removed.

"Goddammit…" Jack whispered to himself, cradling his head in his cupped palms.

She just didn't know.

She didn't understand.

Angel had to be contained.

Angel had to be controlled.

Jack had seen what her powers had looked like when she'd lost control of them. He never wanted to see such things again. He'd tried to shove those memories into the back of his head and lose them completely…for so long he'd just stored them away like old luggage. But here it all was, rolled out across the carpet like fresh flooring, new and bright. All of it was just as painful as he remembered.

It was all just as clear as he remembered.

Angel was scared, her powers were getting stronger, flared by emotions such as fear, sadness…anger.

She was so angry. She hadn't meant to. He knew that she hadn't.

Her mother was simply trying to calm her down, she was just trying to protect her daughter. Jack could clearly see the scene playing out before him. Angel so tiny and so frail her powers consuming her, eating her alive in a fit of emotion that she could not control. His wife had gone to her aid, determined that she could ease Angel back into an even state. She was her mother, she could fix this.

But she couldn't.

Angel had unknowingly unleashed her powers on the very woman that had given birth to her.

Jack could only watch as blood was spilled across the floor and the woman he loved more than life itself fell in a limp heap, eyes wide and glassy. He'd run to her, screamed for her, held her as she went. He'd felt her hand slip from his, slick with blood, going limp in his grasp. All the yelling, all the begging, all the words…they had done nothing. She was gone, and he was helpless.

His daughter, his love, his Angel…had taken the woman he had built a life with. In one fleeting second everything he'd had came crashing down around him like broken glass.

He'd had to take the necessary actions after that.

Angel had fought against the restraining chair, and the collar, and the wires, and the eridium that was pumped into her to keep her from breaking lose.

He'd had to do it.

There was no other way.

She was strong, and she was contained.

He'd done it out of love.

He'd done it out of necessity.

Or so he told himself, over and over again.

Maya's bare feet slapped the cold flooring beneath her as she combed the long hallways, robe hugged tight around her slender form. The building was so different in the throes of night, shadows playing over the walls, tiptoeing around corners like living things. She could hear her heart beating in her ears, still rushing from the fight she'd left behind. Her skin still prickled with Jack's words, the velocity of his anger, and the sting of the harsh comments. There was still an unsettling fire burning within her from it all.

Maya paused for a moment as she wandered into what appeared to be some sort of sitting area. There were huddles of modern looking couches and healthy plants that obviously were imported from other planets. Nothing that gorgeous ever grew on Pandora.

The blue haired woman gently padded to the nearest foliage, hands outreaching to brush over its broad leaves, feeling the waxy, cool texture beneath her finger pads. She sighed at the feeling and allowed her eyes to close for a moment.

Such a gorgeous living thing it was, green and beautiful, once growing wild on some foreign planet most likely. Maya could only assumed Hyperion had ripped it up by the roots to get it here, maybe stolen seeds, shipped in a box on a rattling ship across the stars. And now it was here. It was here for its beauty, not allowed to be wild, but forced into captivity because Jack desired its looks.

Maybe that was all she was too.

Her and this lovely little plant may not have been so very different after all.

Maybe Jack just wanted to keep her, to capture her, in ways without chains, without collars, without bindings. He'd coaxed her in with smooth tongue and talented fingers. He'd played her emotions like a violin, the music ever sweet and ever soft. So tempting, so dangerous, and she'd gone so willingly, so stupidly. All he wanted to do was domesticate her. Just like this plant, just like Pandora, just like…his daughter.

Maya felt her breath catch and her finger paused their motion across the wide leaves.

That same tender, calm voice that had once guided her in her early journeys on Pandora…was not some AI program as she'd thought. She was a living being. She was a siren…she was Jack's offspring.

Maya felt betrayed. She felt hurt, her heart sore and confused.

She'd known Jack had been married. But she'd never thought much of them, they were long over and left in the past. But here were new developments that brought those old relationships into very new light. She didn't know how to feel. She didn't know how to take it in.

If Jack could cage his own blood…what was keeping him from caging her in the same way?

Maybe that was what he had planned all along.

The mentions of emotion, of love, it was all just a pretty collection of lies to coax her in. And now he had her eating right out of the palm of his hand.

Maya suddenly felt a wash of panic run cold through her veins.

She should go.

If Jack planned to capture her, to use her and harness her siren powers…she should leave.

Maya suddenly felt the push and pull of weighing options.

If Jack had really wanted that…why hadn't he done it yet? If he'd really wanted to use her powers, he could have done it a very long time ago…yet he had not.

The young woman folded her arms across her thin chest and gently made her way to the massive picture windows looking out over the span of Opportunity. The night was gorgeous. Elpis shone brightly down on the landscape and all the stars flickered across the heavens like glitter that had been spilled over the heavens.

Maya pressed her slender palm on the glass, finding it to be cool to the touch, made that way by the night air on the other side. What a pretty night to be so sad. What a pretty night to be this angry. What a pretty night for such mean words and raised voices.

Love was madness. All of it was so wrong and right at the very same time. It was stress enough to finally let those emotions in...and now all this? It was honestly more than she could handle.

She shook her head slowly.

Suddenly there was the soft click of soles to her right. Maya did not look in the direction of the sound, simply stared straight ahead, eyes lost in stars and fresh anger still dwelling in the hard of her bones.

Jack stood several feet from the siren, giving her space as it was needed.

"Maya…" Jack whispered softly, his voice strained with exhaustion.

Rightfully so, the hour was late far passed four in the morning and they were both so very tired. The night had not been easy on the two of them. What had started as such a promising event had turned into such an ugly thing.

Maya said nothing, arms still stiffly folded, allowing Jack to flounder over his words helplessly. Jack buried his right hand in his trouser pocket and sighed lowly.

"I shouldn't have acted like I did pumpkin. I shouldn't have said those things to you." Jack began, stumbling slightly.

Apologies were not exactly something that he excelled in.

Handsome Jack did not apologize.

But for the siren, for _his _siren…he would.

"No. You shouldn't have." Maya whispered, her voice fogging the window slightly.

"So what is this Jack? You just said you loved me to lure me in? So you could control me too…?" Maya questioned, not in anger, but in genuine concern.

The words washed through Jack like ice water dumped into his lungs.

"No Maya. I said I loved you because I do. I love you so much siren…there is just so much you don't understand…" Jack breathed.

"Try." Maya replied coldly.

"Angel has to be contained Maya because she can't control her powers like you can. You are older, stronger, and wiser. Angel is less so. Her powers are too unpredictable…I only do this because it had to be done." Jack began to explain.

"It had to be done…really?" Maya snarled as anger began to work its way up within her once more.

"Yes. It had to be done, so she wouldn't harm anyone again…I couldn't let that happen…not again." Jack whispered, his wet eyes dropping to the floor.

Maya turned her head, listening intently, confused by the moisture in the corners of Jack's eyes and she shiver in his tone.

"She killed her mother Maya. It was an accident, her powers just got out of control, her emotions drive her and that makes her dangerous. Her mother just wanted to save her, and Angel was too strong. She died in my arms…" Jack breathed.

Maya stood there, her fingers feeling numb, her stomach sick as it twisted in her gut.

"Jack…I…I didn't know…" Maya said softly.

"No. You didn't. I know. But that…that is why things have to be this way." Jack continued, sadness and shame clinging to his every word.

Maya closed the gap between them, fingers coming to slide up the front of Jack's undershirt gently.

"I'm sorry." Maya whispered.

"I'm sorry too." Jack replied.

And so they stood there, in an embrace that was both understanding and sad.

And the stars glittered.

And the moon shone.

And the quiet consumed.


End file.
